The Journey
by momothelemur
Summary: In order to infiltrate the Fire Nation, the Gaang decide to head back to Ba Sing Se to rescue Iroh. Little do they know that Azula is expecting them, and she has a nasty surprise in store. Zutara. Set after season 2 finale.
1. Decisions

Katara looked down at the once great city of Ba Sing Se from her position on Appa. She wondered if the citizens knew yet that the Fire Nation had taken over. _If they don't now, they soon will…_Katara thought bleakly. She had no doubt that Azula would assert her power sooner or later, especially now that the Avatar and his friends had deserted Ba Sing Se. At least, that's probably how it looked from the Earth Kingdom's point of view. _Then again, what does Ba Sing Se know?_ Katara thought, _They spent the last 100 years in total ignorance._

Leaving Ba Sing Se had been the right thing to do. Azula had nearly killed Aang, and Katara had been outnumbered by the two children of the Fire Lord and over a hundred agents of the Dai Li. Even Sokka could figure out that staying would've meant death.

Katara couldn't understand she could've let Aang get hurt. Yeah, okay, she had been slightly preoccupied with a few Dai Li agents trying to take her down, but still. She should've realised what Azula was about to do, and somehow prevented it. That way, they would be safe, and Aang wouldn't have almost died. Katara cared for Aang like a brother, and couldn't manage to shake the feeling of guilt she had that he had gotten hurt. It was lucky that Zuko's Uncle had arrived when he did.

_Which is another thing to worry about, _thought Katara bitterly, _Zuko._

Katara had told Zuko things that she hadn't really told anyone else, had even been willing to use her oasis water on him.

And then he went over to Azula's side, and attacked Katara. That had pretty much doused any compassion that she had for Zuko. Katara felt betrayed despite herself, really. She thought that she and Zuko had reached an understanding back in the catacombs, or whatever they had been trapped in. But obviously not. It seemed that Zuko had only ever cared for himself and his needs. _Well that's the Fire Nation for you, _Katara thought angrily.

Glancing back down again, she realised with a slight shock that Appa had flown over Ba Sing Se and was now flying over the familiar desert that stretched out for miles before the Outer Wall. Katara looked around, a little nervous, a new thought suddenly striking her.

"Where are we going?" She asked, her voice breaking the silence. Everyone turned to look at her except Toph (who kept staring sightlessly ahead) and the Earth King, who appeared to be asleep.

"Away." Aang replied, his voice still weak. The others seemed satisfied with this answer, and turned away again. Katara however bit her lip.

"But where? We need a plan." She pressed. The others were silent for a moment, thinking. Sokka looked at Katara.

"Water Tribe? Maybe if we can find Dad's fleet-"

"Too far." Katara interrupted her brother. "We've got a month and a half until the eclipse. We can't afford to stray too far from the Fire Nation."

"Ever think that maybe we should be heading for the Fire Nation right now?" Toph asked. Katara and Sokka stared at her, unsure if she was joking. _She wouldn't joke about something like this…_Katara decided.

"What about Aang?" She asked, forgetting temporarily that Aang was, in fact, lying right opposite her.

"What do you mean? I'm fine!" Aang said, as indignantly as possible. Katara's face fell a little as he tried to sit up, wincing in pain. Gently, Katara eased him back down.

"Aang, you're not fine. You have a hole in your back. How does that make you fine?" She asked, a slight edge to her voice.

"Katara's right. But so is Toph. We need to get to the Fire Nation as soon as we can." Sokka said, a little reluctantly. Everyone contemplated this for a moment.

"There's only one problem…" Katara murmured.

Sokka, Aang and Toph looked at her.

"We need a guide." She finished.

Sokka groaned in frustration.

"And the only Firebender we know who would be willing to help us…"

"Is locked up in Ba Sing Se under the orders of his niece and nephew." Toph completed, tonelessly.

"Guess we're going back to Ba Sing Se?" Aang asked quietly.

"Guess we are." Sokka replied, jerking Appa's reins so that he would turn back in the following direction.

Katara looked up to the sky -it was now almost night- and wondered if the Dai Li would let them stroll back into the city. She didn't need an answer; it was painfully obvious that getting into Ba Sing Se would be a lot harder than getting out, which was no easy task in the first place.

_This is going to be fun, _Katara thought, in a rare moment of sarcasm.

_A/N:_

_So, what do you think? Should I carry on? (well, I'm going to regardless, I've already written the next chapter, and I enjoy writing, lol)_

_Thanks for reading, and I promise the next chapter will be more interesting…please review!_


	2. Don't Betray Azula

Azula was pleased with herself; Zuko could see that. She sat on the Earth King's throne smugly as if she had been there for years, upright and regal. _A born leader__…_

Zuko however was merely standing at the side of the throne, still mulling over his decision, and how it would affect his life. He had betrayed the people that had trusted him. Well, he had betrayed the person. Katara probably didn't (and now never would) trust him. But Uncle Iroh…

Uncle had been the only person to stick by Zuko after his banishment. He had put up with Zuko, and tried his best to do what was right for him, no matter what. Uncle was the only member of the family to accompany him after Zuko had been banished. A small voice in Zuko's mind asked if it was really worth betraying him. The answer came back as a resounding _yes_.

By assisting Azula in taking over Ba Sing Se, Zuko would finally earn his father's respect, maybe even his love. He would be welcomed back into the Fire Nation and assume his rightful place in line for the throne.

_Uncle would understand eventually. He'll see that everything that I did was for the greater good, _Zuko thought, although a small part of him still couldn't comprehend how betrayal was the key to happiness.

As Zuko had been thinking, five members of the Dai Li had entered the room, dragging along with them a sixth. The sixth looked incredibly agitated, and was sweating, his eyes darting frantically around the room.

Each member bowed to Azula, then to Zuko. Zuko nodded in return, wondering who the sixth man was.

The other agents had to force the sixth man to kneel in front of Azula, roughing pushing him to the floor, and keeping him there.

"Princess Azula, this scum betrayed you to the Avatar and his friends. He is a traitor to the Dai Li." said one agent, spitting on the floor next to the man. Zuko surveyed the traitor with interest, as did Azula.

"I take it that you heard my speech earlier today?" She asked, in a neutral voice, that had a hint of danger in it.

The traitor nodded, seemingly incapable of speech.

"I see." Azula said. She stood up from the throne.

"So that must mean that you heard what I'd do to those who betrayed me?" She continued. Again, the traitor nodded. Azula looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Yet you still chose to betray me. You are either incredibly brave or incredibly stupid. As you got caught and are now cowering in front of me, I think I'll choose the latter option."

The traitor, to Zuko's disgust, began to whimper pathetically. Azula noticed this, and shot the man an expression of pure distaste, before allowing her expression to return to one of thoughtfulness.

"I suppose I should be grateful. After all, if you hadn't chosen to betray me, then Zuko wouldn't have joined us and we may not have been successful in our coup." She said, beginning to walk slowly up and down the platform where her throne was. She stopped and bent down so that she was very close to the traitor's face.

"However, I hate traitors." She said in a low, yet perfectly audible voice.

Straightening up, Azula turned back to her throne, carelessly waving her hand behind her.

"Take the traitor to the dungeon. I shall deal with him later."

The Dai Li agents had just began to drag the man to his feet when Azula paused. Zuko could see the cruel smile on her face and knew what was coming next.

"Wait a moment." Azula said. Whipping around, she pointed her fingers at the traitor, a shining beam of lightning shooting from them and hitting the traitor squarely in the heart. So deadly accurate was Azula's aim that the man was dead before he hit the ground.

Blowing on her fingers lightly, Azula smiled at the agents.

"Why do later what you can do now?" Sitting back on the throne, Azula waved her hand carelessly again.

"Dispose of it."

Zuko had to stop himself from shuddering. _It._ The man Azula had just killed in cold blood wasn't even worth naming anymore. _Don't show emotion. Emotion is weakness. _Zuko scolded himself, repeating the mantra that his father had tried to drill into Zuko when he was younger.

Zuko watched the agents take the body away, whilst Azula examined her nails. They were, of course, flawless.

"Nice aim." Zuko said, unsure of what else to say. Azula stopped looking at her nails to turn to Zuko.

"Thank you." She said sincerely. Zuko nodded, again finding nothing to say.

Azula smiled up at her brother.

"It's good to have you back with the Fire Nation, Zuko." She said softly.

"I never left." He replied, looking straight ahead.

_A/N:_

_Azula's a bitch, right? I know the story doesn't sound very Zutara friendly right now, but trust me, it'll get better J_

_Thank you to my reviewers, you're the best._

_Suggestions, comments and advice are welcome, so please review._


	3. Toph, Girl With A Plan

"Maybe this isn't such a good idea." Sokka said nervously. Privately, Katara agreed with him. Going back into Ba Sing Se so soon after their defeat was suicide. Still, they needed a Firebending teacher quickly, and Iroh seemed as good as any.

"It probably isn't, but you know we have to do this." Katara told him, leaning over the side of Appa to see that the Outer Wall of Ba Sing Se was approaching. "We should land soon."

"But Azula will know that we're coming!" Sokka protested. Toph turned in his direction.

"How? It's not like we'll be broadcasting that we're back in the city." She said. "For once, I agree with Sugar Queen."

Katara decided to ignore the nickname for now. She had more important things to worry about. For one, they had no idea where Iroh would be held, or if he was even alive. _Stop that! _Katara told herself sternly. _Iroh is alive. No matter how much of a jerk Zuko is, he wouldn't kill his own uncle._

"Yeah…but…how would we find Iroh?" Sokka asked, reading Katara's thoughts.

"Maybe Azula could show us." Toph said. Sokka started laughing then stopped, faltering when he realised that no one else was.

"Why aren't you laughing?" He asked, confused. Toph raised her eyebrows.

"Maybe because I wasn't joking?"

Sokka tried to figure out what she meant. After two minutes he sighed and threw his hands up, nearly hitting Katara on the head because of the confined space on Appa.

"Okay, I give up. What do you mean?" He asked, slight exasperation in his voice.

Katara had heard the conversation, and began to listen. Aang positioned himself as best he could so that he could hear to. The Earth King and his bear, meanwhile, were still asleep.

"I think Sokka's right. Azula _will_ know that we're coming. So I'm saying maybe that we should let her take us to Iroh." Toph paused. "Well, not all of us. Probably just me and Katara." She added as an after thought.

Sokka and Aang looked at each other in utter confusion. Katara however nodded. She understood and turned to them, ready to explain.

"Do you remember when Haru got captured by the Fire Nation for Earthbending?" She asked, referring to past events.

"Well, yeah, but I don't-" Sokka began. He stopped dead and stared at Katara. "No. Fragment (consider revising)

"What?" Aang asked, starting to get irritated. Sokka carried on glaring at Katara and Toph, but talked to Aang.

"Toph was suggesting that we let ourselves get captured by the Dai Li and taken to where Iroh was being held prisoner. And by the sounds of it, Katara is agreeing!"

"I told you, not all of us. Probably just me and Katara." Toph reminded him.

"Oh that makes me feel so much better." Sokka snarled at her.

Hearing his tone, Toph moved back, slightly hurt.

"Well, it's the best plan that we've got." Katara said, trying to lessen the mounting tension. "Personally, it's a good plan."

"Katara, you can't seriously be considering this. About two hours ago, Zuko and Azula nearly killed Aang and could've killed you! Now you want to just walk right back into their hands?" Sokka yelled, causing the Earth King to wake up, startled.

"What's going on?" He asked sleepily.

The others paid no attention to him, too busy trying to prove their own point.

"I'm with Sokka." Aang said, speaking for the first time. "It's too dangerous. We'll find another Firebending teacher."

"Like who? Jeong Jeong?" Katara asked angrily. "Because last time I checked he'd vanished. It would take too long to search for him, and we need that time for Aang to learn Firebending!"

Everyone was silent for awhile. The Earth King had looked around, then decided to go back to sleep. Sokka stood up and walked himself over to Appa's head, guiding him down for a landing.

They landed in a forest that they hadn't previously noticed, within walking distance of the Wall. Everyone unpacked silently, except for the Earth King who, to everyone's disbelief, was still sleeping. It was awkward silence for at least an hour before Katara spoke up.

"Not to cause another argument, but we need to decide what we're doing." She said, sitting down near the fire that Sokka had managed to get going. The rest of the group followed her lead, and sat down.

"Toph's plan is a good one, but it's just too dangerous." Aang said. He had to lie down on his front, as sitting upright was too painful for him. Sokka nodded enthusiastically.

"Thank you! That's what I've-"

"It's the only thing we've got." Toph interrupted. "I know it's dangerous, but it's either that or waste time that we don't have coming up with another plan."

There was a short silence.

"Toph's right." Aang said, reluctantly. Sokka made an odd noise that Katara assumed was indignation. Aang tried to shrug.

"I don't like it any more than you do Sokka, but like Toph said, it's all we've got."

"I'm not letting my baby sister go back there!" Sokka shouted, realising that he was losing the fight.

"Thanks for you concern Sokka. I'm sure _I'll _be fine." Toph muttered sarcastically. Sokka ignored her.

"Together Toph and I can take care of ourselves." Katara said, in what she hoped was a reassuring voice.

"Not against the Fire Nation!" Sokka got up and stormed off. Katara knew better than to go after him; he just needed time to calm down.

"We'd better start talking this through then." Toph said as soon as she sensed that Sokka was out of hearing range. Katara nodded.

"If you and I flew Appa into Ba Sing Se then they'd definitely see us." Toph mused. "Then the Dai Li or whoever would come for us, and put us in the same place where they put Iroh. It's simple."

"It really isn't." Katara disagreed. "How will we get out?"

Toph contemplated this. "Ah. Hadn't thought of that."

Silence took over the camp again while everyone thought. Katara stared into the fire. The sparks flew out, but never quite made it on their own when they had been separated from the wood.

_Aang and I were doing well until the Dai Li showed up. I might've beaten Azula at one point if Zuko hadn't shown up…separate them and we might be able to beat Azula…_Katara thought. She shared her idea with Aang and Toph, who nodded slowly.

"We can overcome the guards that way too, assuming that they'll be guards outside wherever we're being held of course…" Toph said, more to herself than to Katara.

_Well, that was pretty much what I was getting at. Divide and conquer can work more than once, Toph, _Katara thought, but didn't say anything.

"So it's settled." Sokka said, walking back towards the group. Katara turned to him and stood up.

"I know you don't want me going, but-"

"You have to. I get it. Just…be careful." He said, hugging his younger sister. Katara gratefully hugged him back, glad that he understood.

"What's with the change of heart, Sokka?" Toph asked.

"It's for the greater good, right? As long as you're both-"

"Careful, yes." Katara smiled, predicting what her brother was going to say.

"I was actually going to say back in time for dinner tomorrow night. But careful works too." Sokka said, shrugging.

Katara, Aang and Toph laughed. The atmosphere was better now that they all agreed with each other.

Sokka had collected some fruit for them to snack on while they discussed the plan.

It was decided that Katara and Toph would fly Appa to where they knew they would be seen in Ba Sing Se. They would then make their way to the palace just in case they hadn't been seen. The palace would be crawling with Dai Li agents, who would then "capture" them and take them to where Iroh was being held. Toph would then metal-bend the door and, with three elements combined, they would fight their way out.

Katara admitted to herself that their plan relied a lot on "if" but they would just have to hope that all went according to the way they wanted it to.

"What do we do if you're not back in…should we say a day? Or two days?" Aang asked.

"A day. And don't worry, we'll get out." Toph replied confidently.

Katara assumed that Toph hadn't fully answered Aang's question because she didn't know.

After they had eaten, woke the Earth King and told him of their plan, Katara and Toph knew that it was time to go.

Leaving all their equipment behind, except for one of Sokka's daggers that Katara hid up her sleeve, they climbed on Appa.

"Remember where to collect Appa from?" Katara called to Sokka, who nodded.

"Good luck." Aang said weakly, twisting his neck to see them.

Katara briefly worried about leaving Aang behind, but knew that Sokka would take care of him. The family looked after each other.

"Don't worry, Twinkle Toes. We're not going to let those Fire Nation brats get the better of us." Toph called reassuringly.

_We may not have a choice…_Katara thought pessimistically. However, she kept silent about that particular thought, and merely smiled at Aang and Sokka.

"Yip yip!" She called, using the command that would get Appa flying.

As her brother and Aang were obscured from her view, Katara wondered if this really was a good plan after all.

The newly appointed head of the Dai Li burst into Azula's throne room.

"Princess, the Avatar's sky bison has been spotted near the Inner Wall!" He cried, rushing to the front of the room.

Azula forgave the man for his rudeness at just running in like that and not bowing. Her thoughts began to race, as she thought of why the Avatar would come back into Ba Sing Se so soon after his defeat. Nothing good, she was sure of that.

"According to the other agents, it's the Waterbender and another girl on the bison." The agent reported.

At this, Azula smiled coldly. She noticed Zuko look up sharply, but chose to ignore him.

"In that case, bring them here. It seems they haven't yet managed to comprehend exactly who it is that they are dealing with." She said.

The agent nodded and exited as quickly as he had entered.

_The Avatar was about to find out what happens to his friends when he sends them to do his dirty work, _Azula thought, still smiling.

_A/N:_

_Wow, I think this is the longest chapter I've done so far. Personally, this isn't my favourite chapter, I feel that it could be better, but let me know what you think. Again, thank you to my reviewers, you guys are the best._


	4. Unexpected Consequences

_A/N:_

_I just realised that for the past three chapters, I forgot the disclaimer. So, here it is:_

_I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. This story is an original, thought out by me, and no copyright infringement was intended._

_Okay, now we've got that out the way, enjoy the chapter! _

Setting Appa down on the ground of Ba Sing Se, Katara looked around nervously. All was silent, and even the street lamps had been extinguished, engulfing the city in almost total darkness. This unnerved her and she seriously began to doubt her faith in this plan. Toph seemed to sense this.

"Relax Sugar Queen." She said, in what Katara assumed was supposed to be a comforting voice. "We'll be fine. Now help me get down off this thing."

Appa grunted at being called a "thing" but other than that, stayed quiet. For once, Katara wanted him to be as loud as possible, so that the Dai Li (if, by some impossibility) hadn't already noticed the ten ton fluffy monster, then they would hear him.

Sticking to the plan, Katara murmured to Appa that he should fly to the Outer Wall, so that Sokka could collect him.

Appa groaned as he set off flying. It always amazed Katara that Appa could understand instructions like that, yet Momo couldn't understand the simple command of "water".

After waiting for five minutes in silence, Katara looked around again.

"There's no one coming. Should we start for the palace?"

Suddenly, all of the lamps flooded with fire, lighting up in a circle, showing Dai Li agents surrounding them. Each agent had a large boulder pointed in Katara and Toph's direction, ready to throw it.

A quick scan of her surroundings told Katara that there were too many Dai Li agents surrounding them to fight. _Not that we intend on fighting much, _she reminded herself.

"Why don't I save you the hassle?" Came Azula's voice, ringing out from somewhere behind the agents directly opposite them.

Katara and Toph assumed their fighting stances.

"Thank you, but that won't be necessary." Katara said, drawing water out from her pouch and keeping it in the air.

Right in front of them, the Dai Li agents parted to make way for Azula.

"Oh no, I insist." She smirked, striding towards Katara and Toph.

"Shoot to stun, not to kill. I'll save that for later." Azula told the Dai Li agents, an evil smile upon her face.

_Oh. She doesn't want to kill us straight away. That's nice of her, _Katara thought, really worried now.

"Relax, would you? I can feel your heartbeat, and it's very unsettling." Toph hissed, so quietly that only Katara could hear. Katara stared at Toph disbelievingly.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'll just stop _breathing_ then shall I?" She spat back.

"Appreciate it." Toph nodded, smiling slightly.

Katara rolled her eyes, and water whipped the nearest Dai Li agents, expanding her water to cause as much damage as she could.

That started the battle.

Each Dai Li agent hurled his boulder as fast as he could in Toph and Katara's direction. Not the smartest thing to do, in Katara's opinion, as, literally a second before, Toph had jerked herself and Katara to the ground. They managed to avoid boulders to the head, instead just getting pelted with debris, caused by the boulders crashing together just above their heads. Some boulders, to Katara's amusement, had missed the other boulders, instead hitting the Dai Li agents opposite.

However, this attack left Toph and Katara in a very vulnerable position on the floor. A moment after their first attack failed, the Dai Li agents had immediately bended another boulder, again pointed directly at Katara and Toph.

"Damn it." Katara heard Toph mutter. _That's certainly one way to sum up our situation…_Katara thought, disappointed that she hadn't managed to take out more of the agents before getting "captured". Although, looking around, there were at least twenty agents lying unconscious, some dripping wet, some with shattered boulders near their heads.

Katara and Toph began to stand up, making it look like they still wanted to fight, but Azula stepped forward, into the circle of Dai Li agents.

"I don't know you very well, but I know that you're not stupid." She said, a satisfied smile creeping onto her face.

_You think you've won…_Katara thought, _You haven't._

"I'll speak to you in the morning." Azula said, beginning to walk away.

Apparently, this was some sort of signal, because at that moment, the Dai Li swarmed in.

Hands clutched at Katara's wrist, their grips painfully tight. She tried to struggle, finding it difficult to breathe in the crowd and got hit across the face for her efforts.

_Oh, that's it…_Katara thought angrily. She wasn't supposed to fight back, but otherwise she'd suffocate.

Summoning up all of her strength, she kicked out at the nearest agents, who yelped in pain, not expecting her attack.

There was a sudden rumble beneath them. An earthquake.

"Toph?" Katara cried out hopefully.

"I can't help it!" Came the faint reply. Katara couldn't see Toph, her vision had been obscured by the agents armour, but she hoped that Toph was faring better than she was at the moment.

Katara could already feel a bruise forming at the side of her face where she had been struck.

_And there's the little matter of the full scale earthquake that's happening directly underneath me…_She thought, looking down.

The agents had temporarily let go of Katara, unsure of who was causing the earthquake, but they quickly caught hold of her again, this time using the handcuffs made of rock, so Katara couldn't struggle free.

She began to get pushed, the agents moving seemingly as one, towards the direction of the palace. However, the earthquake made it difficult for anyone to walk properly.

"I order you to stop! Whoever is causing the earthquake, I order you to stop!" Shouted one agent, seemingly the head of the Dai Li, as his uniform appeared smarter than the others.

_Yeah, Toph, please stop! _Katara thought, panicking as some agents began to fall, dragging her down with them. Agents began to tread on Katara accidentally, unable to keep their footing as the earthquake worsened.

Again, Katara struggled for breath in the confined area. Her head was aching, and her ankle felt sprained, from where some idiot had stumbled over it. Someone kicked her in the shoulder, causing pain to explode all down her arm.

_Stop it…stop it…stop it…_

But it didn't stop.

The earthquake carried on for another minute, which seemed like a year to Katara, who, unable to get up and now unable to move through pain, carried on getting kicked and trodden on.

By the time the earthquake stopped, the world had gone hazy for Katara, who slowly felt the pain ebb away.

_Well, this is an unexpected way to die…_Katara thought before everything went black.

_A/N:_

_Don't worry, all will be revealed in the next chapter (including whether Katara lives or dies…but I think you all know the answer to that, don't you?)_

_I hope the fight part was okay…I haven't written them before, so let me know what you think._

_Reviewers Best People Ever_

_(I don't do subtle, lol)_


	5. New Surroundings

"Be careful!" Toph said, her voice sounding like she was far away. Katara was drifting back into consciousness, but hadn't yet opened her eyes. She was moving quite swiftly, although she knew she wasn't using her own feet. It took Katara a moment to figure out that she was being carried, although her carrier was not very gentle. In fact, every so often the wall of wherever they were grazed her head. This was probably what Toph was talking about. As if on cue, they turned a corner, and Katara's head bumped up against the wall.

"You'll hurt her!" Toph shouted angrily.

"Shut up." Came a snarling voice that Katara didn't recognize.

Deciding it was probably wiser to keep her eyes shut, she began to listen intently to everything. The footsteps of the people surrounding her echoed on the floor, which Katara assumed was made of stone.

_The last thing I remember was the earthquake…I'm guessing that we've been taken in by the Dai Li, which means I probably haven't been unconscious that long, _Katara thought.

Suddenly the person carrying her - Katara suspected that the person was male - stopped. She could hear someone to her left rummage around for something, cursing when he couldn't find them. A few seconds later however, the man found what he was searching for and took them out of his pocket. With all the jingling the object was making, Katara deduced that they were keys. She didn't particularly want to discover what the keys were for, but knew that she'd find out anyway. Sure enough, a moment later, the sound of a lock being turned and a heavy door being opened reached her ears.

Katara opened her eyes quickly, needing to see where she was. It took her a few seconds for her eyes to adjust to the gloom surrounding her. It seemed that they were entering a dungeon cell, and the man carrying her had not yet noticed that she was awake. She began to struggle, alerting the man to her consciousness. The man practically threw her out of his arms so forcefully that Katara stumbled further into the cell after she had only just landed on her feet. Toph was pushed in quickly after Katara, but seemed equally dazed. The men - they were six Dai Li agents - advanced on the two benders, who backed away instinctively…right into the cell wall. _This place is too small! _Katara fretted.

Katara could feel that the pouch containing her bending water had been taken away from her, so she felt inside her sleeve for Sokka's dagger that she had previously hidden.

"Looking for this, missy?" One agent asked smugly, holding up the dagger.

"Dangerous weapon for a little girl to be carrying around with her." Noted another, smirking. Katara flushed with anger.

_Missy? Little girl? Who the hell did these Dai Li agents think they were talking to?_

"I think we should hold onto it for awhile." Another joined. "For her own safety, of course."

The agents all laughed, much to Katara's annoyance.

_Out of all the Dai Li agents they could've possibly assigned to take us to the dungeon, they had to give the job to a dozen idiots who think they're hilarious. I think I'd prefer Azula._

"Toph? Bending might be nice right about now." Katara muttered.

"I can't." Toph replied, sounding confused.

"What do you mean 'you can't'? This whole damn place is made of stone!" Katara said in frustration.

"There's no point in even trying to tell your friend to bend there, missy." Said the first agent, moving in closer to Katara and Toph.

"Call me 'missy' one more time." Katara threatened.

The agent laughed to his friends, who all laughed back.

"M-i-s-s-y." The agent said, prolonging the syllables.

Katara sprang forward and hit the agent squarely in the nose, jerking her fist sideways in a way Sokka had showed her, ensuring that the offender's nose would break.

Toph chuckled as blood began to spurt from the agent's nose. He clutched at it in pain and humiliation, cursing profusely as he gestured for the others to advance on the girls. Toph and Katara assumed their attacking stances, even though this seemed pointless, seeing as they couldn't bend.

"Come on. You know you can't take all of us." Said an agent, who seemed older than the others. "We don't want to have to hurt you, but Princess Azula said that we should lock you up by any means possible."

Katara inwardly shuddered, noticing again how small the cell was, and wishing that she could back up some more.

"Lock us up? What do you mean, lock us up?" She asked, afraid that she already knew the answer.

"Well after the little fiasco that was the earthquake before, Princess Azula said that we couldn't take any chances." The agent replied, pointing to a pair of chains that were fixed to the cell wall. Katara's eyes widened. No way was she about to be chained up. Noticing Katara's expression, the agent shrugged.

"It's either be chained up, or have your wrists broken so that you can't bend." He said nonchalantly.

Katara looked at Toph, who had been listening to the conversation, a look of concentration on her face. Sensing that Katara was looking at her, Toph nodded her approval.

Sighing, Katara sat down next to the chains, wondering if she could be humiliated anymore. An agent roughly grabbed Katara's wrist and trapped it inside the manacle, doing the same with her other wrist. Out of the corner of her eye, Katara saw the elder agent doing the same to Toph.

Once he was satisfied that the girls were trapped, the elder agent began to walk out, the others following him.

"Why can I not bend this stone?" Toph called out. The agent stopped, but told the others to go on ahead.

"Whoever made these cells wasn't stupid. This is the capital of the Earth Kingdom; the majority of the prisoners here would be Earthbenders. He built the cells so closely together that the walls are inter-connected for literally miles." He tapped on the stone wall. "This piece of stone here is the same stone that makes up the Outer Wall of Ba Sing Se."

_Either he's lying or we are really screwed, _Katara worried silently. The agent began to walk away.

"So you see there really is no way out. Unless of course, you can bend metal." He laughed, knocking on the door as he left.

The slamming of the heavy door echoed all around the small cell, leaving Katara feeling utterly desolate. The chains ensnaring her wrists extended long enough for her hands to reach the ground, yet she could see no immediate way of escaping them. Giving up temporarily, Katara glared at her new surroundings.

It was damp in the cell, yet not damps enough for Katara to extract any water from the walls to use in bending. Each wall, even the floor and ceiling, was made from the stupid stone that was "un-bendable". This made the cell incredibly cold, and extremely uncomfortable to sit on. Katara shifted as much as she could, without knocking the chains. After the agents of the Dai Li had left, she had noticed that her shoulder was still painful and she was positive that her ankle was at least sprained from the earthquake earlier on.

"Toph, what was with the earthquake before?" Katara now asked.

"I don't know. It started out as me doing it, but then I stopped when I saw you getting distressed." Toph replied, tugging at her chains.

"So, I assume getting knocked unconscious _wasn't_ part of the plan?" Asked a familiar voice.

"Iroh?" Katara asked, squinting in the gloom. She hadn't noticed him before, yet there he was, chained up as they were, in a dark corner.

"We're here to rescue you." Said Toph, deadpanned.

"Well I suppose it's the thought that counts." Iroh replied, managing to chuckle slightly. "And it isn't that I don't appreciate it, but you really shouldn't have come."

Katara tried to shrug, making the chains jangle noisily.

"What can we say? We're suckers for old Firebending men who've been captured by their sociopath of a niece." She said sarcastically.

"And nephew." Iroh added quietly, and then fell silent.

Katara felt bad for the old man and spent the next fifteen or so minutes trying to figure out what to say to make the situation better. After all, she didn't think that 'I'm sorry you're nephew is such a jerk' was exactly tactful.

Toph and Iroh meanwhile were silent, probably examining their cell as Katara had been doing previously.

Finally deciding on what to say, Katara took a breath.

"Don't worry about Zuko, he's just-"

She stopped as the metal door to their prison opened. It had only been half an hour at the very most since the Dai Li had left, so who was this?

_Nobody good, _Katara's inner voice told her. As if to confirm this, the person who had just entered shut the door firmly behind him, and spoke.

"I'm just what?" Zuko asked.

_A/N:_

_Mini-cliffhanger there for you._

_So, what do you think? I think I've done this chapter the best I can, considering the way I want the storyline to go. Sorry that it took me a little bit longer than normal to update, but I had to completely re-write this chapter at one point._

_Again, my reviewers are the best people ever, thank you so much :D_


	6. Betrayal And Water Don't Mix

_A/N:_

_The part with Zuko walking to the dungeon cell happens at the same time as the last part of the previous chapter, just through Zuko's POV…wow, that makes basically no sense at all. Just read and hopefully you'll see what I mean…_

Walking down the long stone corridor that led to the dungeon, Zuko paused. He wasn't sure if he wanted to see the people he betrayed just now. Or, ever, for that matter. What was he supposed to say to them?

In his hands he carried a bowl of water that he had brought, just in case his uncle was dehydrated from sitting in a cell for the past few hours.

If Azula knew that he was down here, she wouldn't be happy. She had expressly forbidden anyone to look in on her prisoners until tomorrow at least. Yet Zuko felt he needed to go, in an attempt to quell the horrible feeling of guilt that he had.

_It isn't my fault that the Avatar's friends were stupid enough to come back to Ba Sing Se,_ Zuko reminded himself firmly.

_No, but it was your fault they had to leave in the first place, _replied a voice in the back of his mind. This voice had been cropping up ever since he had joined Azula, and Zuko assumed that it was his conscience. Whatever it was it was annoying the hell out of him.

_Only because you know I'm right, _his conscience muttered.

Carrying on walking, Zuko tried to run through what he would say to them. After worrying about it for a minute he decided not to say anything. You can't go wrong with not saying anything.

_After all, if I hadn't said anything in my father's war chambers I wouldn't even be in this mess…_

He reached what he had been told was the right door, and was about to open it when he heard the Waterbender's voice.

"Don't mind Zuko, he's just-"

She cut herself off when Zuko opened the (extremely heavy) door.

"I'm just what?" He asked.

The Waterbender (Katara, if Zuko's memory served correctly) seemed incapable of answering, so settled for glaring at him.

_Stupid peasant…as if that's meant to intimidate me, _Zuko thought scornfully. _…Okay. You can stop now._

However, Katara didn't stop, so Zuko stepped over to his uncle. It wasn't difficult; the cell was so small that it only just contained its three prisoners. Zuko didn't look at his uncle as he set the bowl of water down in front of the old man.

"What did he just put down?" A voice asked suspiciously. Zuko turned to see the Earthbender staring at the bowl sightlessly.

"A bowl of water." He replied, edgily. It unnerved him, however much he didn't want to admit it, to be around the people he betrayed.

The Earthbender sighed and turned her head to Katara.

"What did he just put down?" She asked again.

The Waterbender stood up with difficulty, as it was no easy task considering her arms had been chained up.

"Looks like a bowl of water." She told her friend, peering to see into the bowls content.

"That's because it _is_ a bowl of water!" Zuko snapped, his temper rising.

Whilst it was true that the girls had no reason to trust him, did they have to debate about something as trivial as this?

Katara flexed her fingers, moving her hand as much as she could inside the manacle. The water in the bowl rose a few feet. Suddenly, the Waterbender sharply jerked her hand, making the water to slap Zuko across the face.

"Yep. Definitely water." She smirked, wincing slightly as her hand movement had caused her wrist to slam against the cold side of the manacle.

Half of his head now sopping wet, Zuko clenched his fists in fury. _How dare she? Stupid Water Tribe peasant, she has no right to treat royalty like that! _Zuko thought, momentarily reverting back to old thoughts.

From the corner of his eye, Zuko could see his uncle watching him very carefully. Realising that his fists were still clenched, he slowly unfurled them.

"I'm not that low, Uncle. I'm not about to hit a girl who can't hit back." Zuko said, looking at Uncle Iroh, who nodded curtly.

"Oh, but tying a girl to a tree is acceptable?" The Waterbender asked indignantly.

"He tied you to a tree?" Whispered the Earthbender incredulously.

"Some other time, Toph." Katara replied, and then turned to Zuko, hoping for an answer to her question.

"When said girl isn't cooperating, then yes." He spat back, then shook his head angrily. "I didn't have to come here."

"Then why are you here?" Uncle Iroh asked, in a somewhat neutral voice.

Zuko was stuck. He couldn't tell them that he came here because he felt guilty, or came because he wanted to make sure they weren't dying of thirst.

"I…Azula told me to." He lied.

"And do you do everything your little sister tells you to do?" Katara asked, her eyebrows raised.

"Well, if your little sister can shoot lightning out of her fingertips then I think it's probably wise to." The Earthbender - Toph - murmured.

"Whose side are you on here, Toph?" Katara muttered out of the side of her mouth.

"Sorry." Toph mumbled back, smiling slightly.

Sighing, Katara faced Zuko, her eyes blazing.

"This works out well then. You don't want to be here, and we _really_ don't want you to be here, so you can leave." She said unkindly, putting extra emphasis on the "really" part of the sentence.

"Fine." Zuko shot back, picking up the bowl of water. Just as he turned to leave, Katara shouted something, making him stop.

"You talked about honour like it was important to you! But do you really think what you're doing is honourable?"

"I'm helping my Nation win the war. In their eyes it's honourable." Zuko replied.

"In their eyes it may be honour. But in everyone else's eyes, it's murder." Katara said, her voice, to Zuko's surprise, filled with suppressed emotion.

Not having a suitable comeback, Zuko opened the heavy door and left, slamming it behind him with his free hand. Walking swiftly down the corridor, but careful not to spill the water, Zuko thought about what Katara had said. As much as he hated to admit it, her last statement had affected him. He stopped and leant against the corridor wall, placing the bowl at the side of him.

_Keep it together. If you fall apart every time some Water Tribe girl accuses the Fire Nation of murder then you're not going to get anywhere. It' s a war…of course there are going to be losses. It isn't the Fire Nation's fault that they're the stronger side in battle, _Zuko thought, but not really convincing himself.

Leaning down and cupping his hands together, he dipped them in the cool water. Splashing his face, Zuko tried to concentrate on something besides the war for at least two seconds.

Needless to say, it didn't work.

Zuko slammed the door shut angrily. Katara swallowed, and sat back down, shaking. She took several deep breaths before looking at Toph and Iroh, smiling.

"So, on a scale of one to ten: one being us burned alive and ten being us kicking the crap out of him, I think that was about a…?"

"Oh a five at least." Iroh said, his eyes crinkling in amusement. Toph however didn't smile, just looked confused.

"Toph, what is it?" Katara asked worriedly. Toph nodded at the door which Zuko had just stormed out of.

"He's lying." She said, a frown creasing her brow.

Katara rolled her eyes. "He's Zuko; of course he's lying." She paused. "Wait, lying about what?"

"He said Azula told him to come here. His heart rate says differently. I'm betting Azula doesn't even know he's down here." Toph told her, turning her head to Katara and Iroh as she spoke.

Katara opened her mouth to say something, but words failed her. So she settled for simply frowning slightly and looking at the door.

_Someone must have told him to come down here. He's Zuko. He wouldn't come of his own accord…right? And why did he bring that water? Was it for his uncle? But why would he do that, after betraying him? After betraying all of us?_

Katara shook her head at all the questions, deciding to think about it in the morning. Everything would make more sense after a few hours of sleep. She hoped.

_A/N:_

_And that's my Christmas present to you all, lol. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, don't forget to review, and have a Merry Christmas!_


	7. I Spy

"Let's play 'I Spy'!" Iroh exclaimed, breaking the silence.

Nobody had really had much sleep in the past few of hours; it was too uncomfortable in the cell. To keep them occupied, Iroh had suggested playing 'I Spy' about twenty minutes ago, but had been shot down. Yet he seemed to feel the need to play the game, as he asked every five mintues.

Katara rolled her eyes in exasperation. She hated this game.

Not waiting for a response, Iroh went ahead anyway.

"I Spy with my little eye, something beginning with…'W' "

Katara looked at him, wondering if he could have come up with anything more obvious.

"Could it possibly be 'wall'?" Toph asked, deadpanned.

Iroh nodded reluctantly.

"It was pretty obvious." Katara shrugged as best she could, despite the chains.

"It could've been…" Iroh cast around for inspiration then sighed. "No, you're right, it was too obvious."

They sat in silence for a few more minutes.

Katara was praying to the Gods of 'I Spy' that Iroh would come up with something more inventive.

_Like what? _Katara argued with herself, _Water? All the water we had you slapped Zuko with, remember?_

Suppressing a smile, she nodded to herself. _It was worth it._

Iroh snapped his fingers, making Katara jump.

"I've got it! Something beginning with…'D' " He said proudly.

"If the answer to that is 'door' then I swear to God I will metal-bend out of these manacles and hit you with the door." Toph said, facing the floor.

Iroh's face dropped comically and Katara couldn't help but smile slightly. _If you looked past his family and his bending element, then Iroh is a pretty good guy_, Katara thought to herself. _Then again, that's a pretty big "if"._

Then she ran over Toph's last comment in her mind.

"What do you mean, 'metal-bend' ? There's no such thing, right?" Katara asked, staring at Toph.

"I didn't tell you?" Toph asked, honestly surprised.

"Apparently not." Iroh replied, now looking at Toph with interest.

"Long story short: remember that letter I got from my mom saying that she wanted to meet?" Toph asked Katara, who nodded. "Well, it wasn't from my mom. It was two guys looking to take me back home. They shut me in a metal cage and wouldn't let me out. I don't know how I did it, but I managed to make a hole in the metal. I escaped, found Aang and Sokka, and then they filled me in on the situation with you and Zuko."

Katara sat in silence, stunned after Toph's revelation. Iroh also seemed incapable of saying anything.

"Why didn't you tell me this before?" Katara managed faintly.

"I don't know. What with you fighting and Aang dying and the Fire Nation taking over a supposedly "impenetrable" city I guess it slipped my mind." Toph said sarcastically.

"Aang? The Avatar? He died?" Iroh asked, eyes wide.

"Temporarily. But I healed him, so he's fine." Katara told him, not bothering to add that she nearly used the water on his nephew.

"You're a healer?" Iroh asked her, intrigued.

"Yes. But I can't bring people back to life with regular water. The Spirit Oasis water in the North Pole has -had- special properties. I got given some water for an emergency." She said, glad that they were off the topic of 'I Spy'.

Katara turned back to Toph, still not understanding the metal-bending aspect of Toph's abilities.

"So, is it only a certain type of metal, or all metal? Because, you know, these chains-"

"Won't bend." Toph finished for her.

"Oh." Katara murmured, disappointed.

"Sugar Queen, do you honestly think that I haven't trying to break us out of here from the moment we got chained up?" Toph asked sceptically.

"You know Toph, I'd really appreciate if you _didn't_ call me 'Sugar Queen'!" Katara said, her voice rising in annoyance.

Toph shrugged nonchalantly, causing Katara to get even more annoyed.

_Leave it. We're all stuck here together so I'll just have to ignore her for now, _Katara told herself in a soothing voice.

"Have you tried bending the door?" Iroh asked.

"I can't." Toph replied, shaking the manacle for emphasis. "These stupid things cut off my blood supply if I even more a little."

Iroh nodded then fell silent. Toph and Katara followed suit, each thinking about escape.

_The only chance we have at all is if we can get out of these chains…and since they're 'un-bendable' we'll have to get the key. And the only way we can get the key to escape from the chains is if we escape from the chains to begin with. In other words…_

"We're stuck here." Toph sighed, as if finishing off Katara's thoughts.

"There must be something." Iroh pressed.

"There isn't." Katara replied hanging her head. "We need a key for these chains, which we can only get if we escape the chains in the first place."

There was a sudden noise in the lock of a key being turned. All three of the cell's occupants sharply looked up.

"Who is it?" Katara whispered.

"How am I supposed to know?" Top muttered back. "I don't recognise their footsteps. I can tell that they're anxious about something though."

The door opened with a creak, and a Dai Li agent stepped inside. Katara didn't know the agent; he wasn't one of the agents who had captured her and Toph earlier. In fact, this man didn't look as though he had been with the Dai Li very long. He was young, perhaps a few years older than Zuko.

_Twenty or twenty one, _Katara guessed. The young man's expression wasn't of cruelty or hate as so many of the other agents' were. He looked fearful and, as Toph said, anxious.

The agent checked behind him in the corridor before shutting the door.

"My name is Cai." The agent greeted. "I'm here to help."

_A/N:_

_Sorry it took me awhile to update. Christmas does that to you. Anyway, I'll get the next chapter up if not today, then tomorrow. Hope you all had a good Christmas!_


	8. New Plan

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN AVATAR

It had been a few hours since Zuko had seen his Uncle and the Avatar's friends and his mood hadn't exactly increased since then. He was still mildly affected by what the Water Tribe peasant had said, despite his efforts. Walking through the Earth King's palace, Zuko wasn't exactly sure where he was supposed to go. He didn't particularly want to see what Azula was up to, nor her friends and he definitely didn't want to back to the dungeons for another guilt trip.

"Prince Zuko." A guard, rounding the corner had spotted Zuko and called out his name.

"Yes?" Zuko asked.

"Princess Azula has requested your company. She says it's urgent." The guard said, bowing his head respectfully.

Zuko sighed. _It's always urgent with Azula…_he thought, annoyed that he would have to see her.

"Fine." Zuko replied, distracted by something down the corridor that had now disappeared.

"It would be my honour to escort you to the throne room." The guard said, peering at what Zuko had been looking at.

"Yes. It would." Zuko told the guard. "But I'm sure I can find the throne room by myself."

"But, Sir." The guard said, hesitantly. "Princess Azula ordered that I accompany you to-"

"Fine." Zuko said again, holding up his hand for the man to stop.

The guard bowed again, and began to walk in silence, Zuko not far behind him.

"Did Princess Azula specify exactly what was so urgent?" He asked, following the guard past a series of identical doors.

"No, Prince Zuko, she did not." The guard replied, leading him up to the most spectacular door in the corridor and knocking on it.

"Come." Rang out Azula's voice, loud and clear despite the thick door separating the room from the corridor.

The guard opened the door for Zuko, who nodded at him and entered. The guard didn't follow, just stayed by the door after closing it.

Zuko walked the long length of the room before reaching the throne that Azula, again, was sat on.

"What is it Azula?" He asked, impatiently. "I was busy."

Azula's friends (_if you could call them that _Zuko thought), Mai and Ty Lee were standing next to the throne. Zuko looked at them in turn, yet neither gave him acknowledgement, apart from Mai's slight blush. Zuko resisted the urge to roll his eyes. There was no one else in the room apart from them, yet Zuko didn't know if this was a good or bad thing.

"Busy doing what?" Azula asked, her eyebrows raised.

"I fail to see how it's any of your business, but I was exploring the palace." Zuko lied.

_Note to self: if you're going to lie to Azula…think up a better lie! _Zuko thought, seeing Azula's eyebrows raise even higher in disbelief.

A moment later, however, her face relaxed and a small smile crept onto her face.

"It's okay, Zuko. I know you went down to see the prisoners." Azula said. To Zuko surprise - and suspicion - she didn't seem angry in the slightest.

_You could've told me that in the first place before you let me make an idiot of myself, _Zuko thought bitterly, yet kept silent.

"In truth, I was expecting it. Besides, you are not completely unpredictable, brother." Azula added with a smirk. "So how were they?"

"As well as to be expected in their position." Zuko replied carefully. Any show of emotion for the prisoners and Azula would pick up on it.

"I see. And they no longer trust you?" She asked.

Zuko almost laughed in disbelief. Almost.

"Of course they don't." He said. _And who can blame them? _Zuko added as an afterthought, then frowned inwardly. _Why did I just think that?_

"I see." Azula said again, thinking now. Things were silent for a minute or two, and nobody dared interrupt Azula's thoughts. Well, Zuko was too preoccupied with his own.

_Feeling guilty for betraying them yet? The prisoners, I mean, _an all too familiar voice in the back of Zuko's mind spoke up.

_You again? _Zuko asked the voice.

_Yep, me again. I answered your question, now you answer mine. Do you feel guilty?_

Zuko looked around the throne room, in an attempt to distract himself from the voice. He heard the voice groan in annoyance.

_I'm in your mind, idiot. You can't ignore me._

_I can try, _Zuko replied and proceeded to do so until Azula spoke again.

"Zuko. I have a task for you."

Zuko looked up at his sister and waited for her to explain.

"I need you to betray me." She said, then, seeing everyone's expressions, quickly added, "Not literally, of course. But I need everyone to think you have."

Zuko ran through these sentences in his mind, yet in whatever order he put them in, none made sense.

"I don't understand."

"The Avatar's friends know where the Avatar is, correct?" Azula asked Zuko, who nodded, still confused.

"And they're not likely to tell us, are they?" She continued. Zuko shook his head.

"Gain their trust and find out where he is." Azula said, in a commanding voice.

Zuko nodded again, slowly. _I "betray" Azula, she locks me up with the Avatar's friends. I gain their trust and they tell me where the Avatar is. Azula lets me out and I tell her where the Avatar is._

"One problem." Zuko murmured. "No way are the Avatar's friends going to trust me. Not after what I've done."

"I have faith in you." Azula told him. "If we split the prisoners up into three different cells and put you in with the Water Tribe girl-"

"Why her?" Zuko interrupted sharply.

Azula smirked. "Why not her?" She asked. "Like I was saying, if we put you in a cell with the Water Tribe girl then she'll have no one else to talk to but you."

Zuko did not like where Azula was going with this. Not at all.

"I don't think it'll work." He objected.

"You've tried everything else, if I'm not mistaken. And, seeing as apparently, tying the girl to a tree doesn't work, you'll just have to work on your conversation techniques." Azula said, openly smirking now.

Zuko stared at her, wondering how she knew about that.

"I have my sources." She shrugged. "I'll give you a week. Two weeks, tops. If you don't know where he is by then…we'll have to resort to more drastic measures."

Zuko saw Mai smile coldly and stroke the edge of her throwing knives.

"By the way, you're going to betray me tonight at ten thirty in the throne room. Don't be late." Azula ordered.

Zuko knew he was dismissed, so turned to walk away.

"Oh, and Zuko?"

He turned back to Azula, wondering what else she could possibly say.

"Don't let me down."

_A/N:_

_And that's the last chapter this year, lol, don't forget to review!_

_Hope you all had a great 2006 and best wishes for 2007 :D_


	9. Trust Issues

Katara was speechless. _This Dai Li person comes into our cell and offers his help? There are so many weird things about that sentence…_she thought.

Turning to Iroh and Toph to see their reactions, Katara could see Iroh glaring suspiciously at the young man, whilst Toph merely had her palm on the floor. Katara would have thought Toph's actions odd, but, well, it _was_ Toph and Katara felt she had more important things to worry about.

"Okay…'Cai'. Why would you help us?" Katara asked sharply, deciding to get straight to the point.

"I have my reasons." Cai replied tonelessly.

"Such as…?" Katara trailed off, expecting a better answer. This man couldn't just walk in here with no good explanations and expect them to trust him. That was just a really stupid thing to do.

"Do you want to be helped or not?" Cai asked, a hint of anger in his voice.

"It depends who by!" Katara shot back.

_For all we know we could be jumping out of the frying pan and straight into the fire…literally, _Katara thought, reasoning with herself that questioning this man was the right thing to do.

"I think it would help if you explained who you are and why you want to help us." Iroh said, gently.

Cai nodded, much to Katara's annoyance.

_Oh, so I ask a question, it's all "ooh, we don't have time" but Iroh asks the exact same question and suddenly there's time?! _Katara thought in frustration, but didn't say anything.

"We don't have that much time. But I'll do my best." Cai said, choosing to stand in a superior way whilst the others sat down.

"Long story short: the man who betrayed Princess Azula and came to you was my father." He said, his tone steady, yet his fists slightly clenched. "When Princess Azula heard of his betrayal she had him killed. Or, rather, she did it herself. Lightning to the chest when he was unaware. A quick, yet shameful way to die."

Katara's eyes widened and if she could've done, she would've put her hand to her mouth in shock.

"When I learnt of this I was…understandably upset and angry." Cai continued, in the same steady voice that scared Katara a little.

_How can he be so calm after his father was murdered? _She wondered.

"Not to sound insensitive, but you're not angry at us, right? We didn't ask your dad to help us." Toph asked.

"Considering you didn't want to sound insensitive, you sure managed to!" Katara said, glaring at Toph.

Cai didn't reply, but unclenched his fists and sighed heavily.

"I am not angry at you. It was that bitch Azula that killed him. I wanted revenge, so I figured that releasing you would be the most I can do without actually attacking her outright. She may only be a girl, but she has power…"

Katara and Iroh shared a glance sadly.

"We know." Iroh murmured.

Silence took hold for a few seconds, as everyone contemplated their thoughts.

"Toph?" Katara asked eventually. "What do you think?"

Toph took her palm off the ground and turned to Katara, understanding Katara's question.

"He's telling the truth." Toph said, nodding her head and Cai. Katara raised her eyebrows.

"Are you sure? Check again." She told Toph, still suspicious of Cai.

"I'm telling the truth." Cai snapped to Katara.

"Don't blame her. She has trust issues." Toph told him, in a tone that suggested Katara wasn't in the room.

"I do not have trust issues!" Katara said, a little hurt. "It isn't my fault that the majority of people I trust end up either dying or betraying me!"

There was a short silence, in which everyone turned to Katara and raised their eyebrows.

"Huh. Guess I do have trust issues." Katara murmured. She turned to Cai. "Okay, so how are you proposing to get us out of here?"

Cai paused and an uneasy expression came over his face.

"Well…there's a slight problem with that." He muttered.

_I _knew_ there was a catch! _Katara thought triumphantly. _Wait…why am I so happy about there being a catch? Stupid pride…_

"Define 'slight'." Iroh said, getting suspicious.

"I have a brilliant method of getting you out of Ba Sing Se. Really, it is a true work of genius and I'm quite proud of it." Cai said, puffing out his chest happily.

"So the problem is pride?" Katara asked, hopefully.

_If I can get over my pride, then Cai can, _she thought.

Cai deflated and shook his head sadly.

"Not so much. I have a great way of getting you out of the city. As of yet, however, I have no idea how to get you out of the palace."

Katara had to fight to keep back the obscene name she was about to hurl at Cai. He had gotten their hopes up for no reason, just to tell them that he couldn't get them out of the chains?

"So, when you say 'slight' you actually mean 'really, really big'?" Toph asked, and Katara could tell that, despite Toph's calm tone, she was as angry and frustrated as Katara was.

"Why can't you get us out of the palace?" Iroh asked. He appeared to be the only one not livid at the moment, and it both impressed and infuriated Katara.

"The Dai Li haven't trusted me with the keys to your chains. Perhaps they think I'll turn on them."

"Smart guys." Muttered Toph. "How did you get here then, if they don't trust you?"

Cai looked down.

"I'd rather not discuss it." He said, darkly.

Katara noticed for the first time that knuckles were red, and one looked possibly broken. She also uncomfortably saw that Cai's hand moved involuntarily for his dagger that was still in its scabbard. _I don't wanna know…_Katara reminded herself.

"Well, the most important thing is that you want to help us." Iroh said, kindly, seemingly less suspicious. Katara saw him wince in the dark as he shifted.

"What's wrong?" She asked worriedly. Iroh chuckled, and shook his head.

"I'm just a little uncomfortable. My health wasn't exactly brilliant before Ba Sing Se, and I'm afraid that being in here isn't exactly working wonders."

Katara thought for a moment, then looked up at Cai.

"When can you get us out?"

_**A/N:**_

**_Hmm…not sure if I like this chapter or not yet. It's kind of short...but either the next one or the one after that will be longer. Sorry if it took me awhile to update…I was back in school yesterday. Getting up at 7 am is just my idea of hell 00_**

_**But you know what'd make me feel better?**_

_**Reviews!**_

_**Lol, and thank you to all who have reviewed so far : )**_


	10. She'd Rather Starve

_Okay, so we've got a plan to get out of the city. That's good. But we haven't got a plan to get out of the palace. That's bad. This isn't going to be easy…_Katara thought, staring blankly at the cell wall. One time, the stone had been new. Now, however, it was damp, with little cracks in the wall. None of these cracks were large enough to escape from though, and even if they were, the escapee would just find his or herself in the next cell, probably with an angry and confused cell mate.

It had been approximately an hour since Cai had left them, murmuring about "needing to get back to the Dai Li" before he was discovered. Or something to that effect.

Truthfully, Katara hadn't been paying attention. She was thinking of all possible forms of escape, ranging from the plausible (Cai somehow steals the keys and they all fight their way out of Ba Sing Se) to the ridiculously stupid (Azula coming in and letting them go, begging for forgiveness). As much as Katara hated to admit it, she wasn't sure which one was more likely to happen at this point. Cai had repeatedly told them that he wasn't allowed access to the keys, despite Katara and Toph's ideas. Iroh had kept silent, and this worried Katara.

He was an old man and there was no denying this fact, no matter how she looked at it.

In fact, everyone had been silent for the past few minutes. Katara knew there was nothing anyone could say to make the current situation better, so that's probably why nobody tried. This made time pass incredibly slow. What made time pass even slower though, was the fact that nobody knew exactly what time it was. Katara assumed it was time for food, as her stomach rumbled slightly and every few minutes Toph complained that she was hungry with Iroh muttering something about tea in the background. Now was one of those few minutes.

Ignoring the comments, Katara shifted and tried to make herself cosy. It wasn't easy, considering the hard stone floor and the cold, metallic manacle still clasped around her wrist. However, despite this, Katara managed to get somewhat comfortable. Her thoughts wandered to what Aang and Sokka were doing, if they had realized yet that she, Toph and Iroh were coming back anytime soon.

She thought of the fire that Sokka probably had going back at the camp. It was so cold in the cells…Sokka had probably caught something or collected fruit for them to eat…meanwhile she, Toph and Iroh didn't know when their next meal would be.

The vivid image of a roaring fire and delicious food imprinted itself in Katara's mind. Oddly comforted by this, she allowed her eyes to slowly shut.

"I've got it!" Toph exclaimed, making Katara jump and knock her head against the wall.

"Unless that sentence begins with 'this is how we escape…' you're going to be sorry you made me cranky." Katara mumbled irritably.

"Hey, I'm used to Cranky Katara. It's like your natural emotion." Toph told her, much to Katara's infuriation.

"Oh yeah? Well you're-"

"Katara." Iroh interrupted. "Toph." He looked at each of the girls as he spoke their names. "We're all a little…cranky. Let Toph explain what she means and Katara can go back to sleep. Does that sound good?"

Katara nodded, despite being annoyed that Iroh was talking to them like three year olds. Toph nodded also, then explained her idea.

"Just before we got brought here, there was an earthquake. At first it was me, trying to stop the Dai Li from capturing us. I wanted more of a fight than that pathetic excuse for bending that they pulled on us."

"Is there a point to this? Because I'm tired." Katara muttered.

"I'm getting there Sugar Queen." Toph shot back. "Anyway, what if Cai was there? According to what he told us, Azula killed his dad just before she heard that we were in the city. And he would've wanted to help us escape then."

"Can Cai Earthbend?" Katara asked, stifling a yawn.

"Well, he's a Dai Li agent. Don't all of the Dai Li have to bend?" Toph asked, sincerely for a change. The girls looked at Iroh.

"How should I know? I have knowledge about the Fire Nation secret service, not the Earth Kingdom one."

"There's a Fire Nation secret service?" Katara asked, eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Uh…no." Iroh said, unconvincingly. Katara rolled her eyes and smiled, before turning to Toph.

"All the Dai Li agents that we've met so far were benders, so it would make sense if Cai was one too."

"Well then. It was Cai who caused the earthquake." Toph said, self-satisfied.

"You woke me up for that?" Katara asked grumpily.

"It was bugging me." Toph shrugged.

_You're bugging me, _Katara thought, but knew better than to say anything if she wanted to get to sleep.

"Wake me up when you've got an escape plan." She told Toph and Iroh. She then turned into the position that had been so comfortable before.

Snuggling into the stone wall (which wasn't easy) Katara closed her eyes and, after a few more minutes, felt sleep rise over her again.

_BANG! BANG! BANG!_

"Oh for God's sake!" Katara exclaimed, banging her head on the wall again at the noise.

_BANG!_

Someone was knocking - no, pounding - on the door. There was one more loud bang before the rustle of keys and the scraping of a turning lock could be heard.

_If this is Zuko then I'm going to kill myself, _Katara decided. She was in no mood to talk to anyone, especially not stuck-up Fire princes who couldn't make their minds up on anything.

Luckily (or not, depending how you looked at it) it was a Dai Li agent. Katara didn't recognise this one, but then again, he kept his head down and his eyes averted. He nodded to someone outside, who then came in and placed three bowls in front of Katara, Iroh and Toph.

Peering into the bowl, Katara recoiled. The contents of the bowl looked disgusting. At a guess, Katara assumed that it was soup, yet she was sure that even Sokka could cook better. It appeared to be merely water (dirty water at that) with crushed up leaves and a little bit of soil mixed in for good measure. As a final insult, the "soup" also appeared to be cold.

Katara grimaced and looked up to the agents in a questioning manner.

"Your dinner. Princess Azula's orders." The first man spoke, his voice low.

"What is it?" Toph asked, pulling a face.

"Your dinner." The man repeated, pushing the bowl towards her.

"Okay, I'm blind and even _I_ know that looks gross." Toph complained.

"I'm with Toph. You don't happen to have any tea, do you?" Iroh asked politely.

"You're lucky to be eating at all!" The agent snapped. "Either eat it or you starve."

"Think I'd rather starve." Toph muttered, yet brought the bowl up to her lips. Katara and Iroh followed suit.

_They say looks can be deceiving…they obviously don't say it about this. _Katara thought, barely managing to swallow the foul liquid. _Oh Gods this is…wait._

The room began to spin violently, and the colours of the Dai Li agents uniforms blended into everything else. Katara felt hot, too hot for comfort. Her breathing quickened, and she could feel herself swaying.

_Sons of bitches drugged the soup…_

Katara looked at Iroh and Toph, who appeared to be experiencing the same symptoms as she was

_I hate the Fire Nation…_Katara thought, beforepassing out on the cold, stone floor.

_**A/N:**_

_**Katara loves the Fire Nation really :P**_

_**Sorry it took awhile to update again, stupid school is driving me insane…well, more so.**_

_**Don't forget to review, and thanks to those that do : )**_

_**(for anyone who's wondering what happened to Zuko and Azula don't worry. Good things come to those who read the next chapter...coming soon! lol)**_


	11. Improvisations Can End Up Badly

Zuko glared up at the ceiling in his new room from the position on his bed. After talking with Azula, he actually had searched the palace this time, wanting to be alone. He had quickly realized that this was impossible however; there were Dai Li guards everywhere. So, instead of opting for an obvious room on the main corridor leading up to the throne room, Zuko chose a smaller, more modest room just off the corridor.

It was no suite by any means, but it would do. Anyway, he had chosen it for privacy not comfort. That wasn't to say that it wasn't comfortable. It certainly was, with its soft mattress on the bed and small cupboard.

_Lets face it…anything would seem comfortable after three years on a ship, _Zuko thought, still looking up to the ceiling, a frown on his face.

He wasn't sure how he felt right now. Well, he'd never been exactly in touch with his feelings, the only one he had displayed for a couple of years being anger, but a new emotion was stirring inside of him.

Seeing his uncle and those girls locked away in a cell that he wouldn't befit a pig had touched him somehow. He didn't understand if it was pity or guilt, but whatever it was, Zuko didn't like it. _Emotion is weakness, _he reminded himself for what seemed like the hundredth time that day.

_Give it up, _his conscience scoffed, _if the Fire Lord couldn__'t get you to believe that 'emotion is weakness', do you really think _you_ can get yourself to?_

Zuko clenched his jaw in frustration.

"What's the point of quiet time when the only thing bothering me is inside my own head?" He muttered.

_You'd miss me if I were gone, _his conscience replied. Zuko could imagine the epitome of his conscience pouting.

"Why would I miss you? You've never been there when I needed you."

_I have so! _The conscience said, sounding hurt for some reason.

This was Zuko's turn to scoff. It didn't occur to him that he was having a conversation with what was quite possibly a figment of his imagination.

"Lets see. You weren't there in the War Chamber when I spoke up against my father. You weren't there when I captured the Avatar at the North Pole. You weren't there-"

_Fine. I admit you have a point._

"I have several points." Zuko corrected smugly.

The voice didn't reply. In fact, he didn't hear from his conscience for the rest of that day. It was a nice, relaxing time for Zuko.

So relaxing, in fact, that he began to appreciate the soft texture of the mattress. Laying into the pillows some more, Zuko's eyelids began to drop. He didn't bother even trying to stay awake. It had been a tough couple of…well, years and he deserved a good night's sleep that wouldn't be disturbed.

_A few hours later_

There was a loud knock at Zuko's door, followed by another. The knocks were irritable, and Zuko jerked awake immediately. Scanning his surroundings tetchily, he realized that it was now night. How long he had been asleep for, he didn't know.

There was another pound on the door.

_For Agni's sake!_ Zuko thought, moving towards the door and swiftly opening it. There were several Dai Li agents outside, each looking sombre.

"What?" Zuko asked. There was no time for pleasantries; he wanted to get back to sleep.

"Prince Zuko, we understand that Princess Azula was expecting you earlier."

Zuko shut his eyes and groaned. He had forgotten all about his "betraying" Azula.

"That's correct. I'm afraid I was unavailable to meet with my sister at that time. She'll probably be asleep now, so I'll just-" Zuko attempted to close the door, but was stopped.

"Princess Azula is awake and expecting you." Interrupted an agent at the front.

_Damn. Well, it was worth a try, _Zuko thought.

"Fine. Where is she?" He asked in resignation. There was now no way he was going back to sleep, so he may as well get this over with.

"She is in the throne room. We will escort you."

"Is Princess Azula aware that I can walk to the throne room by myself?" Zuko asked, remembering earlier when the same thing had happened.

"She made it clear that we were to escort you." An agent towards the back piped up.

Zuko shrugged and made a gesture for the agents to part, which they did.

It was only a short walk to where Azula was, and Zuko really didn't see the need to be babysat everywhere he went.

_Azula's probably doing it to remind me who's really in charge here. Either that or she's doing it annoy me. Either way, it's working, _Zuko thought, glancing either side of him, to the silent Dai Li agents.

They unnerved him, even though Zuko didn't want to admit it. When he and Azula were fighting the Avatar and the Water Tribe girl (Zuko didn't even want to _say_ her name at this moment), Azula had summoned the Dai Li and they were there in a heartbeat. The appeared to be everywhere at once, a feat which both astounded and slightly annoyed Zuko.

When they had reached the splendid throne room door, Zuko pushed it open and entered. To his surprise, the agents followed him in. However, Zuko merely shrugged this off and began to walk to where Azula was regally sat. Regarding her coolly, he bowed his head in respect.

She stood up from her throne and embraced Zuko. Nonplussed, Zuko patted her back awkwardly.

_Why is she doing this? Azula isn't into the touch-feely kind of love. Or any love at all for that matter, _Zuko thought apprehensively.

"Play along" Azula whispered into Zuko's ear, before stepping back.

Zuko wasn't sure if this made him more or less worried. At least he knew why Azula was hugging him, but what would he have to play along to?

Looking behind him, Zuko noticed that the Dai Li agents that had escorted him to the throne room had been joined by a few others. There were now about twenty, each standing as if ready for action.

Zuko looked back to Azula, who was now standing on the platform to which her throne stood. Mai and Ty Lee were stood to the side, but slightly behind, her. Each had an evil look on her face,

"Azula, what's-"

"It has come to my attention," Azula interrupted in a voice that carried all the way across the room. "That there is a plot to overthrow me."

_Don't the Dai Li agents learn? _Zuko wondered in disbelief. _Betraying Azula is probably the most stupid thing to do if you work for her._

"It seems that there truly is no one I can trust." Azula carried on. Zuko had to contain a smirk. Azula had never trusted anyone and never would.

"And had I not been told by my loyal agents, then I would never have known of Fire Prince Zuko's plot until it was too late." Azula said, fixing Zuko with a piercing look.

_Wait. What?! _Zuko wondered, his eyes going wide.

"Azula, I-"

"Don't deny it, Zuko. The Dai Li are loyal to me, not to you. You never should have told them of your plans."

Zuko simply stood there, mouth opening and closing as he tried to find something to say to these ridiculous accusations.

Meanwhile, Azula sighed dramatically.

"And now it's too late. It's a shame, really. We could have ruled the world together." She said, not sounding to upset about it. This was proved by her next words: "Oh well."

Azula nodded to the Dai Li agents, each of whom withdrew some rubble from the wall that had been damaged by the earthquake earlier. The agents bended the rubble so it hovered in front of them, effortlessly.

Zuko quickly glanced around him, then looked back to Azula, beginning to understand her plan.

"Zuko. I'm surprised you're not protecting yourself." Azula said, shooting him a look that clearly said _"You idiot! Protect yourself!"_

Now Zuko definitely knew what was going on. When Azula had told him to 'play along' before, she had a plan. This was slightly complicated, even for an Azula plan, but there you go. Fire Princesses could not afford to be simple.

"Oh. Yeah. Right." Zuko said, quickly readying himself in an attacking position. Not that he expected to be attacked…at least, not that badly.

_Still, this doesn't mean I can't have a little fun first, _Zuko thought, a smirk creeping onto his face. Noticing this, Azula sat down on her throne, satisfied with his reaction to her plan.

Shutting his eyes in a split-second of concentration, Zuko brought his hands together. He pressed his wrists together, before jerking them apart. The result was a glowing ball of fire in between Zuko's palms.

_If you do this right then it'll be very impressive…so let's try to do it right for a change, okay? _The familiar voice of his conscience said. For once, Zuko listened to the voice. He spread his arms out further, causing the ball to expand. Pushing his palms outwards, the fire followed, and the ball split and leapt in the surrounding Dai Li's direction. Several agents, the newer ones it seemed, yelped and sprang out of the way. However, the fearless ones merely awaited the fire's burn, rather facing that than the punishment for cowardice.

Gathering his energy for another move, Zuko inhaled. Focusing on manipulating the fire to his will, he felt the fire contort and twist into a long rope. Or, to be more precise, a whip. He had adapted the Water Tribe's move and suited it to fire, and he had to admit that it worked quite well.

Making a slashing movement towards the Dai Li agents closest to him, the whip followed and smacked them across the chest, causing them to fall to the floor. Zuko had made sure that his whip wasn't powerful enough to kill. He may be a lot of things, but he wasn't a killer.

"Prince Zuko, that's enough." Azula said, rising from her throne. "Dai Li, put the prince in the cell with the Waterbender. I'll arrange to talk to him later on."

Zuko understood Azula's order for him to stand down and allow himself to be captured. He still put up a fight, but didn't struggle too much when the stone handcuffs fastened firmly around his wrists. Looking swiftly back at Azula as the Dai Li agents led him away, he saw her smile and nod at him.

_Well done. You managed to not completely mess up a plan for once, _Zuko's conscience muttered. Knowing that this was probably as congratulatory as a figment of his imagination could get, Zuko felt pleased with himself.

Even being led down to the dark, dank dungeons could not dampen his spirits. Zuko didn't notice when the handcuffs dug into his wrists painfully, or when the occasional Dai Li agent shoved him roughly onwards. All that mattered was that Zuko was an integral part of a plan that would finally capture the Avatar.

All he needed to do was break the Water Tribe girl, which wouldn't be so hard.

_She's just a girl. How hard can it be? _Zuko thought confidently.

When the Dai Li pushed Zuko inside a cell that he didn't recognise, Zuko's confidence didn't waver. In fact, his mood increased when he saw that there were two (albeit, thin) mattresses on the dirty cell floor. He saw the girl had been dumped unceremoniously onto one of these mattresses. She appeared to be unconscious, which momentarily alarmed Zuko, before he remembered that he didn't care.

"Princess Azula will be along shortly." Said the new head of the Dai Li. Zuko ignored him still looking at his home for the next few days with slight disdain.

_Well, what were you expecting? It _is_ a dungeon after all, _Zuko told himself.

The head agent told the other agents to leave and as they silently filed out he shouted one of them back.

"Cai!"

An agent that must have been only a couple of years older than Zuko turned around questioningly.

"Make sure the prisoners have enough food and water for the coming days. Check on them every so often if you must." The head agent ordered the boy, who nodded.

"Yes sir." The boy replied, before following the other agents out. As he reached the door, they agent swiftly turned back and shot Zuko a dirty look without the head agent noticing. Taken aback, Zuko returned the look, unsure of what he had done to warrant it in the first place. Still scowling, the boy walked out, leaving Zuko with the head agent and the unconscious Waterbender.

"What-"

"Princess Azula will be along shortly." The head agent interrupted.

"Yes. You said that already." Zuko snarled. He didn't like being interrupted by anyone.

"She will answer any questions you have." The head agent continued as if Zuko hadn't said anything.

_I think my biggest question at the moment should by why the hell Azula made _you_ the head of a secret organization. You__'re clearly an idiot, _Zuko thought, hoping the man would go and Azula would arrive. However, since this man didn't seem to get the message, Zuko spoke up.

"You can go now." He said sharply to the agent.

"I think I'll stay a little-"

"It wasn't a request." Zuko snapped.

Sighing heavily, the head agent nodded and left, shutting and locking the metal door behind him.

_He doesn't deserve to be head of the Dai Li if he follows the orders of a prisoner. Even if I'm not actually a prisoner, _Zuko thought scornfully.

The only thing to do now was wait, either for Azula to come or for the girl to wake up.

"Either way I'm going to get some answers." Zuko muttered to himself, before leaning heavily on the cold, stone wall behind him.

_**A/N:**_

**_I am so sorry that_** **_I couldn_****_'t update sooner. We had a power cut last week, so that delayed this chapter some more. Also, sorry if there were mistakes in the last chapter, I've tried to be more careful this time._**

_**Now that the apologies are out of the way…don't worry if you don't understand Azula's plan yet. I'm sure if I explained it very well. I'm writing the next chapter now, so all will become clear…**_

_**Thanks for your reviews, keep 'em coming!**_

_**(this is my longest chapter yet I think…yay me! lol)**_


	12. Show Time

It was at least an hour before Zuko saw Azula. In that time, he had paced the cell, wondering what he was supposed to say to the Waterbender. Whilst it was true that earlier he had been confident, reality had since caught up with him and he had begun to panic slightly.

_It'd probably be a good start to apologize to her…_his conscience advised.

_Why should I apologize?_ Zuko asked himself arrogantly.

_Are you serious? Because if so, then this could take awhile…_his conscience replied scornfully.

_Okay, so we haven't been the best of friends recently…or ever for that matter, but I don't see the need to apologize. She'd just throw it back in my face anyway, _Zuko told his conscience. He was still pacing, throwing agitated glances at the door and Katara every so often.

She had been unconscious for so long that Zuko would've thought her dead if she wasn't clearly breathing. Her clothes seemed even dirtier than they were the last time he saw her.

_Well they wouldn't get cleaner would they? I sometimes worry about how stupid you are, _his conscience sighed. _And what do you care about her clothes?_

_It isn't like there's much else to do! I'm simply making random observations. And why do you feel the need to criticise everything I think or do? It's like being with my father again…only I can't seem to escape you, _Zuko told his conscience harshly.

_You want to escape me? Be my guest. I'm only here all the time because you can't seem to decide on anything. And that makes you unhappy. What makes you unhappy makes me…vaguely indifferent, but it's my job to keep you happy. Or at least sane, _his conscience concluded.

Zuko sighed in frustration and clenched his fists. A voice in his head was getting the better of him, and he didn't find it amusing.

_Do you even know what your 'job' entails? Because you're not excelling in it. I tell you what. Have the rest of the day off. Hell, I'm feeling generous. Have the rest of my life off! _Zuko shouted angrily to his conscience.

_The rest of the day will do fine thank you…considering its past midnight that should give me a nice vacation, _his conscience said primly.

_It should give _you_ a nice vacation!? _Zuko asked in disbelief, but his conscience was already gone.

Sighing, Zuko sat down on his mattress. It was nowhere near as comfortable as the one he had just slept on, but it was better than nothing. Even if it was flat, dirty, peculiar smelling and had holes in it.

After several minutes of simply sitting down, Zuko became restless again. He tapped his fingers impatiently on the cell floor (thank Agni it was relatively clean) in no particular rhythm. The floor was made of dark stone, much like the other cells he had seen in the palace dungeons. He wondered absent-mindedly how far underground they were here. After all, the catacombs had been underneath the palace, so there was no reason the dungeons shouldn't be.

_Uncle Iroh never mentioned there was an old Ba Sing Se beneath the new city, _Zuko thought, glancing around the cell. _Then again, we never talked about his attempted invasion of Ba Sing Se…it would probably just have reminded him of Lu Ten anyway._

After this thought, Zuko wondered where his Uncle was. It was possible that he was in the original cell with the Earthbender. However, it was more probable that they had been split up. It was more Azula's style. Why be nice to people when you can be cruel and manipulative? It was probably their father's motto as well.

Zuko stopped tapping his fingers and looked around once more. The cell was definitely larger than the other one, which he was grateful for. It was still the same atmosphere as the previous cell, but it _was_ a dungeon, so he supposed that was only to be expected.

Zuko was able to keep his body temperature up through firebending, although he noticed the unconscious Katara had goosebumps. Feeling a little guilty, Zuko regretted not bringing a coat or something to cover her with. Conscious, he hated Katara. But unconscious he didn't mind her that much. She was quiet for once and not answering him back, which made a nice change. Zuko hated it when anyone answered him back, least of all some Water Tribe peasant.

_It isn't my problem that she's cold, _Zuko told himself sternly. _She shouldn't have been knocked out…which, by the way, how did that happen?_

Zuko was enjoying a mean debate with himself on whether or not to set Katara's hair on fire (…_that should warm her right up_…he thought evilly) when he noticed the girl's necklace at the side of her, on the stone floor.

_It had probably come off when whoever had moved her to this cell had dropped her onto the mattress, _Zuko thought. _She really should keep a better hold on that thing, considering it's so precious to her._

He stood up and picked up her necklace from the floor. He examined it, as he had examined it all those months ago when he had first…come into possession of it. His thoughts now were different from back then, however. Back then he had admired the carving, but other than that thought it useless. Now he recognised its sentimental value, it being one of the only things Katara had left of her mother. When Katara had first mentioned that is had been her mother's necklace, back when Zuko had allied himself with pirates, it didn't occur to Zuko that Katara's mother might be dead. He had just assumed that she was back at the South Pole, even though he had seen very little women around that generation.

_No wonder she was so protective over her grandmother…_Zuko realized.

Admittedly, Katara's outburst in the catacombs and her revelation that the Fire Nation had taken her mother away from her made Zuko see that they had something in common. He had even gone as far as to comment upon this.

Katara had made him feel compassion for her…Zuko wanted to make sure she didn't get the chance to do this again. As soon as she told him where the Avatar was, he would make sure, one way or another, that they wouldn't see each other again. Clenching his fist angrily against the carved necklace, he pocketed it, making a mental note not to give it her back just yet.

There was a sudden scraping noise coming from the door, making Zuko jump. He hurriedly sat back down on his mattress as he heard the noise of a key turning in a lock. The door opened to reveal Azula standing there, looking forbidding. Zuko didn't feel threatened; forbidding was his sister's neutral expression.

"Took you long enough." Zuko grumbled to her. Azula shrugged and walked inside the cell, shutting the door behind her. Zuko stood up in greeting.

"I'm sorry I couldn't come sooner." She said carelessly.

"Let me guess. You were 'unavoidably detained' for some reason?" Zuko asked tonelessly.

"How well you know me, Zuko." Azula smirked. "Actually I was waiting an appropriate length of time so my visit wouldn't seem conspicuous."

"Ah. Of course." Zuko replied, in a sarcastic 'why didn't I think of that?' tone.

"I must admit, you adapted better than I thought you would to the situation. That's a sign of a great leader." Azula told him.

"I'll bear that in mind." Zuko said, before asking what was really on his mind. "But why was there any need for adaptation in the first place? I thought we -you- had the plan figured out."

Azula's eyes narrowed slightly.

"I did. I think you'll find it was you who didn't stick to the plan by not meeting me at the arranged time."

"I was asleep." Zuko said defensively. Azula rolled her eyes.

"You make a compelling argument." She said sardonically. "Anyway, I had to change my plans when you didn't meet me."

"Yes. I noticed." Zuko muttered. Azula ignored him and carried on.

"The new plan worked out much better than the old one could have anyway. In the old plan, you were to attack me when I was unaware and I would simply call for help like some weak little…_fairytale princess_." She spat the last words disdainfully. "However, it makes a better impression on the Dai Li if I were to know of your plans beforehand."

Zuko blinked.

"Azula. It's been a really long day. Could you explain it with a little complexity just this once?" He asked wearily. Azula rolled her eyes, but Zuko didn't care. He just wanted to know why Azula thought that this plan was better and then he could get to sleep. It was going to be a long week. Assuming he could get the Waterbender to talk in a week. _Here's hoping…_he thought.

"Okay. In laymen's terms: if you had attacked me and I pretended not to know about it then that would make me seem weak. It would show the Dai Li that I do not have knowledge of every plot against me. Perhaps revolts would start up. We are _this_ close to winning the war and I can't have anything sabotage it now."

Zuko nodded, actually understanding where his sister was coming from for a change.

"So I made it look like I knew of your 'plot'. This way it shows the Dai Li that they cannot expect to betray me without me knowing of it."

"That's smart. Not that I was expecting anything else." He added hurriedly at Azula's look.

He saw her eyes roam over his cell disapprovingly, finally resting on Katara.

"What's up with her anyway?" Zuko asked, jerking his thumb in the unconscious girl's direction.

"Why do you care?" Azula asked craftily. Zuko crinkled his nose in disgust.

"Because I've often found that interrogating people who aren't awake a pointless exercise." He retorted.

"True." Azula smirked. She gazed at the Waterbender disparagingly. "She is merely unconscious. She'll wake up in about an hour. I needed to move her and the other girl from their cell, so I arranged for the Dai Li to mix something into their soup so there would not be any fuss."

Zuko raised an eyebrow.

"Surely the Dai Li are more than capable to deal with a teenage girl and her slightly younger friend?" He asked, trying not to smirk. Smirking wouldn't go down well with Azula.

"I wanted the Dai Li to incapacitate her for a short while and they did the job. It has nothing to do with capability." Azula snapped.

"Of course. Sorry." Zuko said, defensively. He didn't want Azula deciding that to make their story convincing she'd have to kill him.

"Oh, and you won't be 'interrogating' her." Azula carried on, seemingly indifferent to Zuko's apology.

"I won't?" Zuko asked, confused. "Then how am I supposed to-?"

"How Mai could ever like you is beyond me." Azula sighed. "You need to earn this girl's trust, I thought I told you that. Otherwise she'll never tell you where the Avatar is. Maybe even play the sympathy vote if you're desperate."

"I just don't see how earning a girl's trust could…wait." Zuko cut himself off and narrowed his eyes suspiciously at his sister. "You said that Mai liked me and you used it in the present tense."

Azula smiled coldly. "Oh that's right. I wasn't supposed to tell you that. Oops." She said, sounding as if she couldn't care less. Her tone grew more serious with her next words, however, and the smile dropped from her face. "If you haven't found out where the Avatar is in a week and a half then we'll have to re-evaluate the plan."

Zuko nodded. Knowing Azula, "re-evaluating the plan" meant that someone was going to get hurt. And he had a feeling that it would be the Avatar's friends.

"Any questions?" Azula asked, heading towards the door.

"When I find out where the Avatar is, how am I supposed to contact you? What if something goes wrong? Or what if-"

"Zuko." Azula interrupted in a calm voice. "You're overreacting. Everything will go smoothly. Don't worry if the Water Tribe girl isn't responsive in her first few hours of regaining consciousness. I might have overdone it a little on the 'extra ingredient' in her soup." Azula smiled coldly again and Zuko resisted the urge to shiver.

"When you find out where the Avatar is then call for the guard that will be placed outside of your cell after the first week." Azula continued, the smile still upon her features.

"Alright, I understand. You should go before she wakes up." He instructed Azula. To his surprise, she nodded. Normally, Azula hated being given orders by anyone, except of course for their father.

She started to walk to the door, before pausing and looking back.

"By capturing the Avatar we will have fulfilled a task that countless before us have failed to achieve. It will not only be a great victory for the Fire Nation, but a victory for the Royal Family." A brief, smug smile flashed across her face, only to be replaced by a more serious expression. "Zuko, do everything you have to do to get that information out of the girl."

Praying that Azula didn't mean what he thought she meant by those words, Zuko nodded.

"For the Fire Nation." He said solemnly.

"For victory." Azula replied, then strode out of the cell, shutting the heavy door behind her.

As Zuko heard the lock being turned, he sat back down on the previous spot on his mattress, sighing.

_I know that I've been chasing that Avatar for moths now…but can I manipulate an innocent girl into helping me capture her friend? _Zuko wondered, looking at Katara uncomfortably. After a minute of silence, Zuko repeated his thoughts in his mind, adding:

_This would be a good time for my conscience to offer its words of wisdom…_Zuko hinted silently. When no response came, Zuko sighed again, unsure if having stopped hearing the voice inside his head was a good or bad thing.

Zuko spent the next twenty minutes debating the pros and cons of Azula's plan. The pros greatly outweighed the cons, as he knew they would.

The next time Zuko asked the question in his mind, he was sure of the answer. _It's all going to be worth it._

Across from him, Katara's breath quickened and suddenly her eyes snapped open.

_Show time, _Zuko thought.

_**A/N:**_

_**Told you I'd get this chapter out quicker, lol. "Show time" indeed :P**_

_**Hope you all enjoyed and, as ever, your reviews are very much appreciated. To the people who review: I am so grateful to you, you always manage to make me smile with your words )**_


	13. Anger Outlet

(**_A/N: The P.O.V's alternate in this chapter. I've put a star when they change. I'm sorry if this is confusing, but I thought it the best way to write this chapter…so enjoy:D_**)

Katara's eyes snapped open. It took her a moment to come to her senses, and when she did, she realized that she wasn't in the cell she had last been in. Although her eyes were still adjusting to the gloom, Katara could tell that neither Toph nor Iroh were in this new room. However, there was a figure sitting opposite her, undistinguishable in the dim light. She blinked a few times in confusion, her head hurting for some reason.

She was lying on a very flat mattress, which confused her even more.

_Where am I? And why have I woken up here? _Katara thought, sitting up.

She immediately regretted this decision; her side aching from - what she assumed - was the way she had been lying. She winced and gasped in pain.

"Yeah, you probably shouldn't have done that." Said a voice. Katara sharply turned around, ignoring the pain in her side.

_That voice…_

"No." Katara whispered in horrified disbelief. She shook her head slowly as her eyes fully adjusted. Sure enough, Zuko was leaning against the wall opposite her.

"Yes." He replied. Unlike the threatening way he had said this back at the North Pole, Zuko had no particular emotion behind his words this time. It was as if he were merely confirming Katara's statement.

Katara shook her head again, hoping that this action would make Zuko not be here. Unfortunately, it didn't work.

"No, no, no." Katara muttered, beginning to panic.

"You keep saying that as if it's going to make me go away." Zuko told her, tonelessly. He was still leaning, as if unconcerned, against the wall.

"Well you never know until you try!" Katara spat back. She still didn't know where she was, why she was there and just what the hell the Fire Prince was doing there with her. And this made her very irritable.

Deciding to work on one problem at a time, Katara examined her surroundings. It was damp and cold in the room. From what she could see of the walls, they were made of dark stone. This could only mean one thing.

_I'm still in a cell…_she thought, _but whereabouts?_

This current cell was bigger than her old one, and at least this new cell had mattresses.

Granted, they were dirty, peculiar smelling and full of holes, but at least they were mattresses.

_Why didn't our old cell have mattresses? _Katara thought absentmindedly, _Iroh could've really used one…_

Her eyes widened as the realisation that she didn't know where Toph and Iroh were struck her. She knew that the only chance of finding out where they were and if they were okay meant talking to Zuko. As much as this may damage her pride, Katara didn't even need to think about it. She felt responsible for Toph and Iroh now and needed to know about them.

Quite reluctantly, she raised her eyes up to Zuko.

"Where are Toph and your uncle?" She asked, hoping her voice didn't betray how worried she felt.

"I don't know." Zuko replied shortly. He sighed and carried on, in a somewhat bored voice, "I'm assuming the Dai Li moved them the same time they moved you, and you were here long before I was."

"Yes, but I was unconscious." Katara pointed out behind gritted teeth.

Zuko's attitude was already annoying her, and she had said less than five sentences to him.

"I don't know where they are." Zuko shrugged. "At the moment I'm more worried about my situation."

_Oh, that's right, I forgot. You're still the selfish, uncaring Prince you always were, _Katara thought angrily. Determined to voice her thoughts, she attempted to stand up, but the stabbing pain in her side returned and she quickly sat back down again.

"Are you okay?" Zuko asked, much to Katara's surprise. Rather than respond accordingly, or - God forbid - show gratitude for his seemingly genuine concern, she narrowed her eyes, ignoring the pain.

"What do you care?" She hissed. "You're probably the reason I'm here anyway."

Zuko raised his eyebrows in disbelief.

"Yes. I knocked you out, carried you to this cell, locked myself in and waited for you to wake up so you could start accusing me of things I'm innocent of." He replied, his voice dripping with uncharacteristic sarcasm.

Katara shrugged, careful to not jolt her side in any way.

"It seems like the kind of stupid thing you'd do." She told him, positioning herself so her side was in no more pain than it had to be.

Zuko stood up angrily and stepped off his mattress. Katara looked up at him with unease; although he hadn't come any closer towards her, Zuko still gave off a threatening vibe. Plus, there was the fact that Katara couldn't exactly stand up to defend herself. That always made a girl jumpy.

"You want to talk about stupid things?" Zuko asked, his voice raised. "How about coming back to Ba Sing Se!"

"Hey, it seemed like a good idea at the time!" Katara shouted back defensively.

Zuko looked ready to yell something back, but instead took a deep breath and walked towards the door to the cell.

"What are you doing?" Katara asked, her confusion mixing with her anger.

Zuko didn't reply. Instead, there was a loud clunking noise, and Katara heard him curse in pain.

"What the hell is that?" She heard him mutter under his breath angrily.

"Well, I think we can rule out the possibility that it's a feather, considering the noise it made on your foot." Katara said, trying not to feel satisfaction at Zuko's pain.

Again, Zuko didn't reply. In Katara's opinion, this was a good thing. As a general rule, the less Zuko talked the less trouble Katara seemed to get into.

"It's a lantern…" Zuko murmured, crouching down to get a better look at the object he had banged into. "Who would put a lantern in front of the door?"

"I think a better question would be: how can you not notice a lantern in front of the door?" Katara asked, contemptuously.

_Seriously though, _She thought, rolling her eyes, _how can you miss a heavy, metallic thing like that?_

"It's dark." Zuko told her. "And you didn't notice it either."

Katara opened her mouth to object, but Zuko held up his hand to silence her. She opened her mouth even wider to object at his order, but quickly silenced any words she had been about to say when she saw what Zuko was about to do.

He stared intently at the lantern, as if studying it. Then, carefully stepping back, he thrust his clenched fist into the lantern. Quickly retrieving his hand, Zuko lifted up the lantern, now complete with ruby flames.

The room was a lot brighter now, and Katara was able to see the full extent of how much of a dive this cell really was. What appeared to be moss or fungi crept through the cracks in some of the walls, creating an unpleasant view if one studied it closely enough. Deciding that she didn't want to study this closely, Katara turned to see what Zuko was doing now.

He had set the lantern down in the space between his and Katara's mattresses, so each could see equally and was now sitting back down.

"I…uh-" Katara started off. She knew she should thank Zuko but the words just didn't seem to be coming out.

"You're welcome." Zuko replied quietly, before Katara had finished. She nodded, grateful that she didn't have to actually say the words.

_First you're thanking Zuko, now you're grateful towards him? _Katara scolded herself, _what is wrong with you? Are you going to forgive him for all he's put your friends and family through now as well? What happened to being livid with him?_

Katara knew that what she was telling herself was right. Zuko was now gazing into the flames inside the lantern, bending them to his will so that they rose and shrank steadily.

_Now's a good a time as any, _Katara gently prodded herself.

She took a deep breath and asked a question that she wasn't quite sure she wanted the answer to.

"Why are you here?" She asked him, her voice cold.

Zuko decided to take Azula's advice and play on the peasant's sympathy. Under normal circumstances, he hated anyone feeling sorry for him, but he had tried to show concern for the Waterbender and she had thrown it back in his face. So now he had to go a little deeper.

_It isn't shameful showing weakness if it's only acting, _Zuko reassured himself.

He looked down, sighed heavily, and then looked up at the Waterbender.

"Azula turned on me. She told the Dai Li to lock me up here." He said, in a low voice. He glanced swiftly up at the girl to see her reaction. However, instead of provoking pity in Katara, it seemed to have another, completely different, effect on her. She began to smirk and Zuko could see she was trying not to laugh. Stung, he glared at her.

"What's so funny?" He asked, acidly.

Katara raised her eyebrows at him, the smirk still on her lips, her eyes shining with suppressed amusement.

"You're kidding me, right?" She asked, as if genuinely unsure whether or not Zuko really didn't know why she was smug.

Zuko shot her a death-glare to show her that he wasn't kidding her. Katara held up her arms in a defensive position, although she was still trying not to laugh.

Zuko sighed in disgust and looked down at his mattress again, glaring at nothing in particular. He was trying to control his temper in front of the Waterbender, but was not succeeding very well. Especially since Katara was now openly smirking in satisfaction.

_Will nothing get through to this girl?! _Zuko fumed silently. _The only time she seemed to take me seriously was when I was trying to kill her._

"I take it you're not a fan if irony then." She said after a few moments.

Zuko raised his eyes to look at her

"Irony doesn't tend to be a fan of me." He replied, not acting anymore. Katara's smirk faded, but only a little.

"Come on Zuko, even _you've_ got to see the funny side of this." She said. Zuko didn't like the emphasis the girl put on '_you've_' and scowled at her.

"I don't see anything funny about being betrayed by a member of your own family." Zuko replied stiffly.

"I'm sure your uncle doesn't either." Katara said, serious now. All traces of amusement or satisfaction had left her face and she was now frowning at him.

Zuko's eyes flashed dangerously..

Knowing that she had struck a nerve, Katara continued. It probably wasn't the smartest thing to do - it definitely wasn't the kindest - but she carried on talking anyway.

"What's the matter?" She taunted him. "I was just stating a fact."

"Well don't." Zuko spat at her.

_Does he feel guilty for what he did? _Katara wondered, _or does he just not want to be reminded of it?_

"Guilt isn't a bad thing to feel when you've screwed up as badly as you did." Katara told him, putting it as nicely as she could.

"You don't know what you're talking about!" Zuko shouted, his fists clenching again.

That did it. He could ignore her as much as he wanted. He could insult her intelligence. He could repeatedly try to kill her friend.

But Zuko crossed the line when he told her she didn't know what she was talking about.

Katara stood up, her anger overruling the pain she felt in her side.

"I was there!" She shouted. Katara was surprised to hear that there was a slight catch in her voice. She had just assumed that the overbearing emotion she felt was pure rage. Now she saw that every emotion she had felt in the past few hours was put into her voice.

_Anger, sadness, betrayal, fear, pain._

Roll them into one and the result wasn't pretty.

Even Zuko looked momentarily taken aback by Katara's tone, however he quickly composed himself and stood up too, ready for an argument.

"I saw you attack those that had been willing to accept your help!" She continued, practically shaking with fury.

"I saw you side with your sister! I saw you turn on your uncle! But worst of all…" Katara took a deep shuddering breath before continuing in a calmer voice that nonetheless contained anger, "I watched as your sister shot Aang with lightning and I _saw_ you do nothing."

Zuko just stood there, speechless. Katara couldn't really blame him; she had just unloaded her emotions on him in the form of practically screaming at him. However, she wasn't done yet.

"Your uncle was with you from the beginning, right? Every time we saw you, he was there. Either making a comment that didn't help the situation at all, or just making sure that you didn't do anything stupid."

Zuko flinched at the reference to his uncle. Katara noticed this with satisfaction and continued.

"And suddenly your sister comes along and you throw all that back in his face. I was there, and I saw the expression on his face when he realized that your honour meant more to you than he did."

Katara looked Zuko squarely in his golden eyes, ready to deliver her final words.

"So don't you _dare_ say that I don't know what I'm talking about."

Her voice was shaking with anger, but she was no longer shouting. Small tears had begun to gather at the corners of her eyes. She willed herself not to let them fall, even though they were not tears of sadness or fear.

Katara felt drained, both emotionally and physically, which was probably why the tears of anger and pain were threatening to spill.

But, regardless, she carried on standing. Zuko was still looking at her, his face seemingly clenched and small bursts of steam emitting from his nose every time he breathed out. Katara could feel his body heat radiating off him and she willed herself not to step back.

She knew it was probably taking all of Zuko's self-control not to hit her right now. His body language certainly suggested that he wanted to.

Yet he merely stared coldly at her.

"You should get some rest." He told her, with obvious effort.

Katara didn't respond. Her legs were shaking and she desperately needed to sit down.

The lantern, the only thing separating the two, began to dim and Katara knew that was Zuko's doing.

As the flames died down, neither one broke eye contact. Each seemed determined not to be the one to back down. However, just as the last bit of light faded, Katara could just make out Zuko looking away, his shoulders sagging slightly.

Turning back to where she knew her mattress was, Katara carefully knelt down. Feeling the edge of her mattress, she lay down, facing the wall.

Tears silently spilled over her cheeks, and this time she made no effort to subdue them.

As the last of the light faded, Zuko looked away, releasing the breath he had been holding. The Waterbender's outburst had surprised him; he hadn't expected her to reveal her feelings like that so soon.

He knew he probably deserved all that she hurled at him, and more, but right now he couldn't stop himself from feeling furious.

_The peasant has no idea how much self-control it took to just extinguish that lantern without saying anything, _Zuko thought bitterly, sitting on the edge of his mattress. _She shouldn't speak to me like that; next time I won't be so patient._

He could still feel a small muscle in his cheek ticking, a sure sign that he was fuming.

_The stupid girl was lucky I didn't set her alight…_Zuko ranted silently. Yet even as he thought it, he knew it wasn't true. Whilst he had wanted to harm the Waterbender more than she knew, he never would do.

_Yeah, you say that now, _Zuko told himself, _but just wait. She'll probably get even more infuriating and you'll struggle to control your temper._

Zuko sat in silence, running over the things Katara had shouted at him in his mind. After several minutes, Zuko had worked himself up so much that he had half a mind to set the lantern alight again and argue some more with the girl. Just as he was about to summon the energy to light the lantern, he heard a small intake of breath. The noise was weak, pathetic even, but it made Zuko stop what he was doing.

If he squinted with his better eye, he could make out the shape of the Waterbender, huddled over and sobbing.

Zuko sighed and lay down on his mattress, suddenly exhausted.

_Now isn't the time to fight…maybe in the morning, _he told himself.

He wasn't sure how long it took him to get to sleep, but he knew that Katara would be lying awake long after he had dozed off.

And, sure enough, she was.

_**A/N:**_

_**I hope this chapter was okay for everyone. I've tried to make the characters as IC and believable as possible. That's why it took me so long to write, lol. Thanks for your reviews, and thanks for reading this far :D**_


	14. Reality Is Worse Than Nightmares

"_I thought you had changed!" She shouted across to him angrily. He wrestled with her water whips with his own whips of fire. The two elements collided violently, but neither he nor she flinched away. He looked at her from where he stood, still fighting._

"_I have changed." He told her coldly._

Zuko's eyes flickered open, the images from his dream slowly fading away. For a moment, he was unsure where he was. Then the memories of the previous few hours came flooding back. Sure enough, when he looked over to the side of the cell, he saw the Water Tribe girl he was stuck here with. Lying huddled up with her back to the wall, she looked uncomfortable, and didn't appear to be resting peacefully. She was frowning slightly in her sleep, her eyes crinkled up.

Zuko's own sleep had been fitful at best, and he had a feeling that it wasn't yet sunrise, even though there was no way to tell inside this dingy cell.

_Still, most Firebenders wake up with the sunrise, _Zuko thought. He briefly recalled telling Katara something like that once.

He decided that, whatever time it was, it was too early to get up. He wasn't exactly tired anymore, but it wasn't like he had anything to do, apart from sit around all day being shouted at.

Turning over, Zuko shut his eyes and lay there impatiently, waiting to get back to sleep. After what seemed like an age of simply lying there, he knew that he wasn't going back to sleep anytime soon.

Sighing quietly (he didn't want the peasant to wake up just yet) Zuko felt around the edge of the mattress for where he knew the lantern was. Careful not to knock it over, Zuko located the handle at the top. Sitting up, still with one hand on the handle, he lit the candle inside of the lantern. Immediately, the flames illuminated the once dim cell. Moving the lantern in order to make room for himself on the cold, stone floor, Zuko manoeuvred himself into his usual meditation position.

Careful not to make the flames too bright, so as not to wake Katara up, he began to meditate in front of them.

Zuko's breathing stabilised as he blocked out everything that wasn't the fire in front of him. All of his subconscious thoughts and feelings left him, as he became immersed in the flames. Soon, the rise and fall of the flames reflected his breathing and Zuko concentrated only on that.

No worries or regrets, no fears or sadness. Just the fire.

_It felt warm wherever she was, and she didn't want to leave. Her entire family surrounded her, and she could see them all smiling. Her mother and father were dancing merrily to music that she couldn't see the source of. Her grandmother was clapping along to the rhythm and laughing cheerfully. Even her normally grumpy brother was grinning like an idiot and shaking his head in amusement at their parents odd dancing. She sighed in content as she gazed at each member of her family lovingly. Everybody was here, and life just seemed right at the moment. She wished it could stay forever like that. But suddenly, laughter turned to screaming as people ran, panicking, into the room, shouting. Their cries made no sense to her; it was just noise. Confused, she turned to leave the room but was held back by her father, who shook his head quickly. He too looked panicked and talked to his family in low tones. She didn't hear what her father said, but found herself nodding anyway. Her brother held a protective arm over her shoulder and hugged her close, not letting her go. Soon, the room emptied apart from her and her brother._

"_Stay down." Her brother told her, ducking down himself. She quickly followed suit, now understanding the sources of the screams and noise that were coming from outside._

_The Fire Nation were here, just like their grandmother had predicted they would be._

_She stayed down for several minutes, all the time being held by her brother who whispered comforting things into her ear. She nodded, but wasn't taking his words in. It was hard to distract herself from the shouts and screams, no matter how hard her brother tried. She wondered what had happened to their family. She knew that their mother could protect herself, being an excellent Waterbender, and their father was easily the best warrior in the village. But what about Gran-Gran? Or her Aunts? They were not Waterbenders or warriors, and therefore they had no means of protecting themselves._

_Determined to help fight for her family, she wriggled free from her brothers grasp and ran to the door._

"_Come back!" Her brother hissed, scrambling up after her._

_She opened the door and was greeted by the familiar icy wind and its normal crisp smell. This time, however, the wind carried a different scent mixed in as well. It was the scent of burning and blood, of chaos and death._

_Making her way through the snow, ignoring the fighting that was going on beside her, she looked for any member of her family._

_Soon she found her mother, fighting against three Fire Nation soldiers. Although these soldiers looked strong, she knew that they were no match for her mother. Gathering ice and snow and flinging it in the soldiers' faces, her mother had quickly gained the advantage. As hard as they tried, the soldiers couldn't seem to retaliate fast enough to over-power her mother._

_Grinning, she ran over to near where her mother was stood, wanting to get a better view of the fight. Her brother quickly caught up to her and began scolding her for running off. She told her brother to shut up, then pointed to their mother._

_Distracted by her children's voices, their mother looked away from the fight._

"_Get back!" Their mother screamed, gesturing for her children to run._

_It had only been a second of distraction from the fight, but it proved fatal._

_Noticing that her mother wasn't fully concentrating on fighting, the soldiers put all their energy into one final burst of fire._

_Watching as if in slow motion, she saw the three separate fire blasts combine in the air and slam into her mother, sending the woman flying backwards._

_Her mother crashed into the snow forcefully and didn't get back up again._

_The Fire Nation soldiers seemed to have moved on to someone else, having done part of their job._

_Horrified, she ran over to where her mother was lying and bent down, tears beginning to slide down her face. There was a trickle of blood coming from her mother's ear, but she didn't understand why. Her mother was just lying there when there were Fire Nation soldiers to fight!_

"_Get up!" She said, hating the note of panic in her voice. Her mother made no response, eyes remaining shut and not breathing._

_Confused, she began to shake her mother's body, refusing to believe that her mother - her best friend - might be dead._

_The crimson blood began to stain the snow beneath the body, and she moved back, shaking her head in disbelief._

"_No." She whispered. "No!"_

_Her mother was dead. Killed by soldiers who had no idea how important the woman they had just murdered was to her children. To her village._

_She didn't know how long she sat there, staring down at the body. It mustn't have been long; soon afterwards she felt her brother's hand on her shoulder, pulling her away. Allowing herself to be moved, she clenched her eyes shut as tears of despair and defeat began to stream down her face._

The moment she woke up, Katara realized that her cheeks were damp. Tears were still running down her face, even though her dream had ended. Without opening her eyes, she inhaled and exhaled deeply several times in order to compose herself. It wasn't the first time that Katara had had that dream/flashback, and it wouldn't be the last. Refusing to carry on crying, she told herself that it was only a dream. Unfortunately, seeing as this wasn't strictly true, it didn't help to console her and despite her efforts, fresh tears began to seep down her face.

_It was a long time ago…_Katara told herself. _Time heals all wounds…_

It was true that the pain wasn't as raw as it had been in the months that had followed her mother's death, but the pain hadn't decreased. She had just gotten used to it, and learnt not to mention it to Sokka. Every so often she would allow herself to cry, just a little, over her lost mother.

Now was one of those times.

Still keeping her eyes shut, she made no attempt to quell her grief, only making it so that she wasn't crying too loudly. She didn't want Zuko waking up and seeing her like this. That would show weakness, and weak was the one thing she could not allow herself to be in front of the Fire Nation.

Instinctively, she felt around her neck for her mother's necklace, as she always did when she remembered her mother. This time, the necklace wasn't there. Katara opened her eyes and frantically groped her neck again. Still not finding the necklace, she sat up and peered down the edge of the mattress, the tears stopping slightly in her panic.

Her hand ran along the stone floor, now desperately searching for the necklace, but again to no avail.

Katara frowned in annoyance and sadness as she recognized the fact that she had lost the necklace. Again.

Glancing up, she realized for the first time that Zuko was awake. He was looking at her, eyebrows raised questioningly.

Zuko didn't know how long he had been meditating for when he heard the noise. It was only a quiet sound, but in his meditative state all of his senses were heightened. At first he had tried to ignore the sound, but found his concentration broken. Irritably, he glared up at the Waterbender, knowing that she was the source of the small din.

He drew in his breath, about to shout at her for disturbing him. He quickly exhaled, however, when he saw that Katara seemed to be still asleep. She was frowning heavily, and tear drops were falling down her cheeks. Puzzled, Zuko continued to watch as her breathing increased and she appeared to have woken up. Keeping her eyes squeezed tightly shut, the Waterbender began to cry softly and curled up in an attempt to (Zuko assumed) bring her comfort. As fresh tears replaced the ones that had already fallen, the girl suddenly reached up to her neck.

It seemed that she was looking for her mother's necklace, which of course Zuko had…borrowed and put into his pocket. At the time it had been out of spite, but now seeing the girl's eyes open in panic and begin searching, Zuko couldn't help but feel guilty.

Katara looked down the side of the mattress desperately, tears still sparkling in her eyes.

_If I give back the necklace now then she'll know that I took it and she'll never trust me…_Zuko thought. _On the other hand she might be grateful to me for giving back the necklace._

He rolled his eyes at this thought. _Yeah, and while she's at it she'll probably tell me where the Avatar is, _he thought sarcastically.

A frown creased the Water Tribe girl's brow, and she looked up slowly. Realizing that he wasn't supposed to know what was wrong, Zuko quickly raised his eyebrows in what he hoped was an inquisitive manner.

Katara sighed and shook her head in response. The tears seemed to have stopped, but her eyes still shone with suppressed pain.

"What time is it?" She asked, her voice low.

"Seeing as I don't have access to a clock, I'm not sure." Zuko told her scornfully. Seeing her face fall even more, his next words were in a softer tone. "But if I were to guess, then I'd say about an hour or so after sunrise."

Katara nodded silently. After a minute, she opened her mouth to say something, but shut it again.

"What?" Zuko asked her, his voice no longer soft.

Katara shook her head again and leant against the stone wall, wincing only slightly at the pain that must've remained in her side as she brought her knees up to her chest.

Shrugging, Zuko turned back to the lantern and attempted to begin his meditation over again.

_The flames, just think of the flames, ignore the guilt, focus on the flames._

But it was no use; he wasn't in the mood to meditate anymore. Even after another few minutes, his concentration had deserted him.

_Stupid Water Tribe peasant, she's making it so I can't even focus…_Zuko thought, trying to be bitter. But, as he glanced over in the girl's direction and saw her staring sadly into space, he couldn't quite summon up any anger towards her.

At least, not right now. Once she got over her self-pity, he could go back to doing what he was here to do.

With nothing else to do, and not exactly having an over-talkative cellmate right now, Zuko sat back down onto his mattress and began to think of what would happen after he and Azula finally captured the Avatar. Not thinking of what they would do to the Avatar's companions, Zuko focused on the better aspects. The war would be won in favour of the Fire Nation and the world would bow to the power of the strongest, most powerful element. He began to think of battle strategies (a sure sign he was bored; normally in fights he charged in head-first and hoped for the best) against any opposing nations.

_Considering the only place resisting the Fire Nation is the Water Tribe, I don't think it'll be _too_ difficult to take complete control, _Zuko thought smugly, remembering the pathetic Southern Water Tribe and its lack of defences. _They should just surrender now…but if they're all as stubborn as this Waterbender, then there may be a problem._

Zuko looked over to Katara, who was still staring at nothing, a downcast look on her face.She seemed lost in her own little world, and Zuko was more than happy to keep her there. However, he supposed that he should say something…at least make it _look_ like he cared.

"You've hardly said anything since you woke up. What's wrong?" He asked, wishing that his tone didn't sound so blunt.

The Waterbender blinked and turned around, apparently slightly startled.

"What?" She asked dazedly, stretching her legs out onto the floor.

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Zuko repeated what he had just said, making his voice sound more concerned this time.

"Nothing's wrong." Katara told him. Her statement sounded so unconvincing, that Zuko could see that even she doubted its credibility.

"I'm just not a morning person." She said, using possibly the worst excuse Zuko had ever heard. He raised his eyebrows, showing her what he thought of her explanation.

"It doesn't matter." She said, sighing and resuming her previous position.

"If it's important enough to make you act like this then it must matter." Zuko pressed, determined to get an appropriate response this time.

Katara looked at him curiously.

"What do you care?" She asked. "Last time I checked you were still on Azula's side."

Zuko silently cursed, wondering if he had seemed too out of character too soon. Instead of showing his alarm, he merely shrugged as if unconcerned.

"Last time I checked, people changed." He said nonchalantly.

Katara narrowed her eyes venomously and immediately Zuko knew that he had said the wrong thing.

"People like you don't change, Zuko. Except maybe for the worst." She spat.

Zuko considered arguing back (to be honest, from her perspective it seemed like she had a point) but there was a sharp rap on the door.

_Azula? _Zuko wondered hopefully. _Maybe she's decided to give up this farce and let me go…_

The now familiar sound of keys scraping the lock could be heard, and Zuko saw Katara look up too. Her expression was mixed; there was some hope, some fear and some resignation on her face.

_If you've given up this easily then you're not the girl that I know, _Zuko silently ridiculed. He stood up, prepared for whoever was behind the door. He saw Katara quickly follow suit, adopting a defensive stance.

The door opened, and instead of Azula there stood Mai. Three guards were behind her, one peering into the cell nosily. The other two seemed to be holding something, but Zuko couldn't tell what from this distance.

He could hear a slight disturbance in the background, but couldn't place what it was. A swift, sideways look at Katara proved that she could hear the noise also.

Turning back to Mai, he watched her glance behind her and nod swiftly. Two guards came into the cell and placed two bowls on the floor, just in front of the door.

_It's like they're afraid to come in, _Katara thought scornfully, _some secret agent guys they are._

As if to prove her suspicions further, the guards backed away hurriedly, almost bumping into Mai. Katara suppressed a smirk at their incompetence.

To be honest, she was glad of the interruption. Zuko's questioning had made her uncomfortable enough to make up pathetic excuses in an effort to stop him from talking. She didn't particularly like discussing her mother with anyone, especially him. At least, not anymore.

"What are you doing here Mai?" Zuko asked sharply, glaring suspiciously at her. She merely stood there, with the bored look that was almost permanently fixed onto her face.

"Azula said she didn't want her prisoners to starve. It's soup." Mai said, acknowledging the bowls.

"If Azula thinks that I'm going to eat anything the Dai Li have given me, then she's crazier than I thought." Katara told Mai, glaring reproachfully at the bowls. From where she was stood, Katara couldn't see the contents of the bowls, but assumed that they would taste worse than the poisoned 'soup' she had previously eaten. And that was saying something.

"It's your call. But until Azula decides what to do with you, that's all you're going to be eating." Mai shrugged, starting to turn slowly to the door.

_If I'm going to fund anything out, then now's my chance, _Katara decided.

"Where are Toph and Iroh?" She called after Mai, determination in her voice.

Mai turned around to look at Katara.

"I'm not supposed to say." She said, a malicious glint in her eyes.

_You evil, spiteful…_Katara thought threateningly. Unfortunately, seeing as there was currently no water about, and Mai far surpassed her in hand-to-hand combat, Katara couldn't verbally threaten her. So, instead, she opted for another tactic. Shameless, but worth a try.

"Toph is just a kid. She's blind and helpless and depends on me for everything. She can't fend for herself and right now she's probably scared senseless." Katara lied, in an attempt to appeal to some non-existent emotions.

Mai actually laughed, finding amusement in Katara's words. She turned around to the closest guard and murmured something that Katara didn't hear. Nodding, the guard swiftly left.

Katara heard a door opening a little way along the corridor. The noise she had previously picked up became much louder, and she flushed as she realized the noise was Toph, screaming threatening obscenities at the top of her voice.

Katara bit her lip and reminded herself not to let Sokka talk around Toph ever again. After all, where else could Toph have learned those words? Certainly not from her upper-class parents.

_Thanks for blowing a huge gaping hole in the middle of my plan, Toph, _Katara thought, annoyed. _Your timing is impeccable._

Suddenly the door shut and Toph's voice faded, now barely audible.

"So, 'helpless', huh?" Mai asked smirking as the guard returned. Katara glared at her, her mind directing obscenities of her own at Mai.

Zuko made a soft noise of disbelief. Turning to him, Katara could see that he was looking at her, amused, with his eyebrows raised.

"Where did _she_ learn words like that?" He asked, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

Katara shot Zuko a look of disgust before turning back to Mai.

"Let me see Toph." Katara said.

"Yeah, _that's_ going to happen." Mai said, still smirking.

"It wasn't a request." Katara said, her voice hard.

"If I were you, I'd soften your tone." Mai snapped, "It's like I said before, how are you going to fight without your bending?"

"I'll find a way." Katara told her, but even as she said it, she knew it was a lie. Without Waterbending, Mai would kill her, Katara knew that.

"You always do, right?" Mai said spitefully, before turning to the guards, who hurriedly parted for her. She strode away, her footsteps echoing on the stone corridor. Two guards turned after her, and left. The third however stepped inside the cell.

To Katara's relief, she saw that it was Cai. She was about to call out his name, but then stopped. Cai nodded slightly to her.

"You do realize that there is more than one lantern in here, don't you? There are three more in the corners." He said, in a tone that suggested that he didn't much care.

"Of course we knew!" Zuko spat. Katara knew he was lying, but he was just too proud to admit that he didn't know.

"Okay then. I'll be back later to pick up the bowls." Cai shrugged, before leaving. He reached the door and looked back at Katara, meeting her eyes for a moment. Katara knew that he was trying to convey something, but didn't understand what. She narrowed her eyes and frowned slightly, confused, but Cai was already out of the door, shutting it behind him.

After the sounds of a locking door and footsteps had faded, there was silence in the cell.

"Mai's right, without bending you're defenceless." Zuko told Katara. He didn't say it spitefully or concernedly, just stated it.

"Shut up Zuko." She muttered, before walking slowly to her mattress and lying back down.

_I need a way to contact Toph…but how? _Katara wondered, staring intently at the ceiling, as if it had the answer.

_**A/N:**_

_**Whew, this one took me awhile to write. I was going to have Katara's dream much shorter, but it just sort of wrote itself really. Sorry if it was annoying constantly having to read "her mother" in the dream part, but I didn't want to include any names…strange, but there you go.**_

_**Hope you all enjoyed, as ever, please review, thanks to the ones that do review, and thanks for reading this far:D**_


	15. Soup, Poison Or Cabbage?

After approximately half an hour of staring at the ceiling, Katara still had no idea how she could talk to Toph. She bitterly regretted not making everyone learn Morse code, as Toph would be able to sense the vibrations and communicate back.

_If I get out of here, I am forcing everyone to take Morse code lessons, _Katara thought decisively.

She sat back up, and tried to ignore her stomach screaming for food.

Trying to distract her stomach, Katara looked around the cell. Since Cai had informed them that there were more lanterns, Zuko had found their locations and one by one lit them. This banished almost all darkness from the cell, yet some shadows still lurked threateningly in the corner.

Unfortunately, there really was nothing in the cell that was distracting.

_Spiders web, wall, door, another spiders web…hey, wait, that's the same spiders web, _Katara thought, uninterested.

She glanced to see what Zuko was doing. He was sitting there, apparently as mind-numbingly bored as she was.

Zuko hadn't eaten his soup either, and Katara wasn't sure if this worried her or not.

_Maybe he knows something? _Katara thought, suspiciously.

"You haven't eaten your soup." She told Zuko, who looked up from where he was sitting on his mattress.

"Neither have you." He replied slowly, frowning and looking at her as though she had lost her mind.

Katara supposed her statement might have sounded a little odd, especially since it came from out of the blue.

"It hasn't been drugged, you know." Zuko smirked, as if reading her thoughts.

"That's what I thought last time and look how _that_ turned out." Katara muttered, glancing around the cell.

Zuko sighed and rolled his eyes before standing up. Katara watched him, confused, as he strode over to the door and picked up both the bowls in his hands. Walking back to the mattress, he sat down and lay the bowls on the floor in front of Katara.

"What are you doing?" She asked, scowling. Whatever his game as, she didn't like it.

"Proving that you're a neurotic idiot." Zuko replied. "Can I try some of the soup?"

"Knock yourself out." Katara said, unsure of why he was asking her permission. "Do us all a favour." she added under her breath.

Zuko but picked up a bowl, raised it to his lips and drained it. Almost immediately, he pulled a face.

"Poison?" Katara asked frantically.

"Cabbage." Zuko grimaced as he swallowed. "Really watery cabbage."

"Shame." Katara murmured, trying to hide the relief she felt. As much as she hated Zuko for what he had done, he didn't deserve to die like that.

"How can they call that soup?" Zuko asked, starting on what Katara was sure would be a rant. "It had about one percent cabbage, ninety-nine percent water! I've got to tell my sister to treat her prisoners better in the future…"

But Katara had stopped listening.

_Ninety-nine percent water? _She thought, staring into her bowl of 'soup'. _True, even if the majority of the contents of that bowl is water, it wouldn't be enough water to attack anyone with…it's barely enough to feed me, _Katara thought, sizing up the bowl. _But if I don't eat the soup (or whatever it's supposed to be) and just save the water every time we get brought it, then I might have enough to fight Mai…or whoever else stands in my way._

Zuko was complaining about the quality of the soup they had received, but he knew that the Waterbender wasn't listening. Nevertheless, she made it look like she was; agreeing with everything he said whilst she stared into her bowl of cabbage/water/soup.

"It's bad enough we're prisoners in the first place, but it's just insulting to give us this-" Zuko gestured violently at the bowls, "and call it food!"

"Uh huh." Katara said, her eyes glazed over.

"What, did they just pick this cabbage up from the gutter?" Zuko continued.

"Definitely." Katara agreed, her voice monotone.

Realizing that she would agree with anything he said, Zuko smirked.

_This could be fun…_

"You know that your hair looks ridiculous in those loops, right?" He asked. In truth, her hair didn't look that bad, but he knew (from past experience) that girls were touchy about their hair.

"Right."

"And I really don't think that blue is your colour. Do you agree?" Zuko said. Again, it was a lie, but it would be fun to see the girl's reaction.

"Absolutely."

"Would you be happy if I told you that I have your mother's necklace?" Zuko asked, getting carried away.

"Yeah…" Katara replied. She looked up sharply. "Wait, what did you say about my mother's necklace?"

Although she hadn't been concentrating on anything Zuko was saying, Katara had caught part of the last line.

"What does the necklace have to do with your dislike for cabbage?" She asked, her voice dangerous.

_Why did he say that? Does he know where it is? If he does then Gods help him…_Katara thought, glaring at Zuko.

When he didn't answer she stood up, almost sending the bowl flying.

"You took my mother's necklace, didn't you?" She accused furiously.

"What?" Zuko asked indignantly, "Why would I do that?"

"You've done it before!" Katara shouted.

She was tempted to retrieve the water from the soup right now, but knew that she wouldn't have enough if a fight occurred. Instead, she glared at Zuko as the air around him grew warmer.

"I _found_ your necklace and kept it because I thought it would lead me to then Avatar! Which, it did!" He added hotly. "So now, when the Avatar is no where near, why would I take the necklace?"

"Lets see: you're spiteful, you have nothing better to do, you probably take some twisted happiness out of watching me lose the one thing I had left of-" To Katara's surprise (and slight embarrassment) her voice caught on the last words, and couldn't bring herself to say 'my mother'.

To her relief, Zuko didn't notice this (or if he did, he didn't acknowledge it) and sighed in frustration.

"My sister betrayed me, I'm stuck in a dungeon cell, there's barely edible food, and _you're_ here. The Gods must hate me." Zuko spat at her.

"Yeah, well they're not the only ones." Katara shot back.

In a matter of minutes, Zuko and Katara had gone from sitting there in silence to having the desire to rip each others throats out.

"I didn't take your necklace." Zuko said deliberately slowly.

"Like hell." Katara snorted softly.

She knew that Zuko had taken her necklace, but she didn't understand why. Had she done something to annoy him (apart from sharing a cell) in the past few hours? He knew how important the necklace was to Katara, yet he still took it.

"You're always talking about your honour as if its important to you." Katara told him, bringing up what she knew was a sore subject. But she didn't care. Zuko had hurt her by taking something precious to her (on top of repeatedly trying to capture her friend, knocking her out and teaming up with his sister) so she was going to hurt him right back.

Zuko's eyes flashed dangerously and he shot Katara a look that clearly said: _Don't go there._

"I mean, that's the whole reason you were trying to capture Aang, right? To get your honour back?" She asked casually.

"Shut up, peasant." Zuko hissed at her.

"You told me about getting your honour back, but actions speak louder that words. And your actions don't add up to your words." Katara carried on, ignoring Zuko's words.

"I'm warning you…"

"You lie and you steal and you always seem to manage to take the path that causes other people pain," She said, raising her voice. "And doesn't sound very honourable to me."

Katara noticed with satisfaction that small tendrils of steam had begun to seep through Zuko's nostrils and the temperature had risen.

Zuko merely stood there, fists clenched and breathing heavily for a few seconds.

Then, suddenly, he moved forward. Out of instinct, Katara stepped back hastily, only to see that Zuko had walked over to the door. With his fist still clenched, he hammered on the door, causing echoes to spread around the cell loudly.

Katara stared at him, wondering briefly if her comments had finally tipped Zuko over the edge.

A sliding part of the door was moved away to reveal a pair of eyes looking in.

"What?" Asked a gruff voice.

"Get Mai." Zuko said, his voice so tense that the eyes blinked in alarm.

"I'm not supposed to-"

"Do it!" Zuko shouted. The guard outside nodded and shut the grate sharply.

For a moment, Katara was fearful. Zuko was extremely angry at her, and she wouldn't be able to defend herself properly if he chose to attack.

_But then why would he call for Mai? _Katara wondered, staring at Zuko.

"What do you want Mai for?" She asked hesitantly.

Zuko ignored her, and remained standing by the door, his fists slowly unclenching as the minutes passed by.

Eventually, sounds of footsteps could be heard on the corridor, and the metal door was unlocked. Katara saw two burly guards standing behind Mai for protection…not that she needed it.

"What is it?" Mai asked, sighing. "I was in the middle of something."

"The Earthbender. Where is she?" Zuko asked curtly.

Both Mai and Katara raised their eyebrows, not expecting this question.

"Why?" Mai asked, apparently thrown.

_She's even showing a little facial expression,_ Katara noted.

"Let the Earthbender see her friend." Zuko continued, in the same brisk voice.

Mai glanced at Katara in surprise then looked back to Zuko, shaking her head.

"I can't. Azula-"

"Doesn't need to know." Zuko finished for her.

_Why is she being difficult? _Zuko thought.

"And she won't find out." He told Mai, widening his eyes for an instant in a gesture that told her to play along with his plan. "Trust me." He added extra emphasis on the last two words, hoping Mai would catch his meaning.

Mai nodded slowly, though it was obvious from her expression that she didn't understand.

"As long as she doesn't find out." She repeated. "And as long as you don't try anything." She added, to Zuko and Katara.

Both nodded, Katara looking as confused as Mai had.

Mai turned around to the guards, who grunted and walked into the cell. Each grabbed one of Katara's arms, much to her rage and Zuko's amusement.

"I can walk myself!" Katara yelled at them, struggling to break free from their grasp and failing. Zuko suppressed a smirk.

_Serves her right for insulting me, _he thought smugly.  
"Don't take her into the cell yet, leave her outside until I get there." Mai instructed the guards as they passed her. Each guard nodded, dragging the still struggling Katara with them as they left.

As soon as she was sure they were alone, Mai turned to Zuko.

"What was that about?" She asked, gesturing at the still open door.

"I need to show compassion for Azula's plan to work, right?" Zuko asked.

Mai nodded slowly.

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm not exactly a compassionate person when it comes to the Water Tribe girl. So I figured that if I got her something that she wanted, it would make up for my lack of kind words to her." Zuko explained, feeling pleased with himself at his plan.  
"Besides, if she sees her friend then it would get her off my back for awhile." Zuko added.

"Nice plan." Mai commented. "You came up with it in about ten seconds, didn't you?"

_Is it that obvious? _Zuko wondered, miffed.

"Well, yes." He admitted. "But it was a good ten-second plan don't you think?"

"Definitely." Mai nodded.

Zuko suddenly became aware of the fact that Mai apparently still had a crush on him…and that they were alone in a cell together. Clearing his throat hastily, he walked towards the door and exited, making sure Mai was close behind him. If his plan were to work, then it needed to look like he and Mai were still on different sides.

The guards still had Katara's arms in a vice-like grip, and she waited for them to release her. It wasn't like she had any choice. She had tried struggling, and that didn't work. Short of wasting the little bending material she had, there really was nothing else she could do.

The guards had taken her a little way along the corridor, and remained outside the door, refusing to let Katara go until Mai arrived.

Less than two minutes had gone by when Katara heard what she recognized as Mai's footsteps on the stone floor. Sure enough, Mai approached with a guard and a disgruntled looking Zuko in tow.

_Where do these guards keep coming from? The only one I've seen more than once is Cai…_Katara thought, slightly disturbed.

"Let her in." Mai sighed, her monotone voice matching her expression.

The guard that had followed Mai nodded and retrieved a key from his belt. Leaning forward, he unlocked the door and pushed it open, its hinges squeaking annoyingly.

Letting go of Katara, the guards roughly pushed her in and stood aside for Mai.

"Katara?" Came Toph's voice, uncertainly.

Katara scrambled up to her feet and ran over to where Toph was sat.

"I'm here." Katara murmured softly. She sat down next to Toph, ignoring the coldness of the floor.

"It's kind of hard to mistake you're footsteps. You're not exactly Twinkle Toes you know." Toph told her scornfully, sounding much more like herself.

"Hey, Airbenders are allowed to be light on their feet." Katara told her, smiling slightly. "Besides, I wanted to see if you were okay, hence the heavy footsteps." Katara paused and examined Toph critically. "You _are_ okay, aren't you?"

"You tell me." Toph replied, and jerked her arms up, and Katara could see that she was chained up.

"Oh my Gods…" she whispered, and whipped around to face Mai.

"You chained her up?" She asked furiously. Out of the corner of her eye, Katara could see Zuko leaning against a wall, looking down on Katara and Toph.

"It wasn't like she wasn't chained up before." Mai shrugged.

"Yes, but this time she's alone!" Katara said angrily. "It isn't like she's going to try anything!"

"Are you sure about that?" Mai asked, glancing at Toph, who shrugged.

"She has a point. If I could then you and me would be the only conscious people in the room, Sugar Queen."

Zuko cleared his throat.

"Sugar Queen?" He repeated, smirking.

"Shut up." Katara spat at him. Not because she was ashamed of her nickname. Sure, it annoyed her, but she figured that nicknames were Toph's way of showing affection.

_Either that or she's really mean…_Katara thought, preferring the first option.

"Can we not have a little privacy?" Katara asked harshly, directing her question at Mai, who shook her head.

"Whatever." Toph shrugged, then turned to Katara. "Is Iroh with you in your cell?"

Katara looked behind her to Zuko. He raised his eyebrows at her, an annoying smirk appearing at the corner of his mouth. Turning back around slowly, Katara frowned.

"I'm going to have to say no." She said hesitantly. "However I do have the pleasure of being in the company of his equally charming nephew."

Toph laughed meanly.

"Seriously?" She asked, smirking. "I think I'd rather be here by myself than with Scarface."

"I'm standing right here!" Zuko shouted angrily.

Toph turned her blind eyes to him and smiled sweetly.  
"I know." She told him. Katara was trying to keep a straight face; Zuko was bound to be mad at this comment for a few hours and her laughing would only make it worse.

"Leave them for ten minutes." Mai instructed suddenly. All eyes settled on her, yet she seemed unperturbed.

"Lady Mai?" One guard asked uncertainly.

"Leave!" She snapped. The guards nodded and grunted (the only two actions they seemed capable of) and left, leaving behind Mai, Zuko, Katara and Toph.

"Aren't you going to leave?" Katara asked standing up and folding her arms.

"Although I'd love to stay, I have other things to do." Mai said and gestured for Zuko to move out of the door ahead of her.

"What are you doing?" Zuko hissed at her as they left. "We could have found out something useful."

"We still can." Mai replied, putting a finger to her lips and nodding towards the slightly ajar door.

"Eavesdrop?" Zuko asked uncertainly. Mai nodded and crouched next to the gap. Shrugging, Zuko joined her.

"Alright, what's up?" Toph asked abruptly, as soon as they were alone.

"What do you mean? Nothing's up." Katara said, albeit a little nervously.

"Save it. I can tell when you're lying remember?" Toph gloated. Katara cursed silently.

"The moment you walked in I could tell something was wrong." Toph continued.

"Was my heartbeat irregular or something?" Katara asked.

"No. You just looked upset." Toph replied, a concerned note entering her voice. Katara immediately felt stupid and nodded.

"So spill. What's up?" Toph asked again. Katara sighed.

"I'm not sure we should be listening…" Zuko began, but trailed off when he heard Katara's next words.

"I had a dream about my mother. About how she died."

_**A/N:**_

**_Hey, I have to get off the computer in_** **_literally a minute so I'll make it brief. I'm sorry if this chapter seems rushed, but I'm going to California tomorrow for a week, and really wanted to update before I left. Because of this, I couldn't check it through properly, so if there are any mistakes, that's why. _****_I won't be able to get another chapter up for a week or so, so enjoy this one lol._**

**_Thanks to _****_Shirozora_****_ for the soup bending idea and Insane Elvish Vampire Pirate And The Demented Hobbit Ninja for the Morse code idea :P_**

_**Thanks to all for reviewing, you rock, and don't forget to leave a review on your way out:D**_


	16. Sid The Wily Jewellery Gnome

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN AVATAR (cries)

"Oh," Toph murmured softly. She paused, before continuing. "You don't have to talk about it, if you don't want."

Katara shook her head, tears beginning to creep into her eyes.

"No, I want to." Katara sniffled. She looked at Toph, her lips curling into a small smile. "Since when did you get so considerate?"

"I'll have you know I'm a very considerate person," Toph huffed. "But back to your problems."

Katara smiled again. Talking with her friend seemed to make all the problems in the world go away. That was, until, Katara remembered what she was supposed to be talking about. Taking a deep breath, Katara knew that this would be good for her. She needed to talk to someone about her dream, and she'd be damned before she talked to Zuko about it.

"I used to have the dream a lot, mainly when Sokka and I still lived at the South Pole." Katara began, fiddling unconsciously with her hands. "The dream became less frequent as time went on, but every so often it'd come back again."

"Like last night?" Toph prodded gently. Katara nodded, and then realized Toph couldn't see her. Instead she whispered in agreement, tears building up even more.

"It starts when I'm back at the South Pole, with all my family," Katara began. She continued in the story, describing everything she felt in her dreams to Toph, who didn't interrupt. Voicing her dream seemed to make it less sad, as if she had someone who could give her sympathy and offer kind words. And, okay, maybe Toph wouldn't exactly be her first choice, but she was good enough.

"And then I wake up." Katara finished, her voice breaking with emotion. Tears were falling silently down her cheeks, but she made no attempt to quell them. "And it's the same every time. I have to watch my mother die over and over and there's nothing I can do about it."

She turned away from Toph and rested her head against the wall, clenching her eyes together in pain. The cell was silent for a minute, save for Katara's shuddering breaths.

"I'm sorry." Toph said, her voice low. Katara nodded, unable to speak, her eyes still closed.

Zuko had listened to all of that, a small frown on his face throughout.

_So that's why the Waterbender is so defensive over her mother's necklace…_he thought, guilt seeping into his brain. He ran over everything the girl had just said in his mind, hearing the anguish in her voice and the way she stopped talking every so often, her voice breaking. No matter how much Zuko tried to distance himself from emotion, it hurt him to hear another human being in that much pain.

He glanced up to Mai, and saw a peculiar expression on her normally passive face; it was mixed sympathy and scorn. She was staring down to the floor, still listening. Now however, all that could be heard were the Waterbender's sobs as she tried to compose herself. It was several minutes before she did however, and Zuko noticed that Mai's expression slowly faded to be replaced by one of boredom again.

"Do you think she's finished yet?" She whispered, tediously. Zuko stared at her, speechless, wondering about her lack of emotion towards the grieving girl in the cell before them.

_Great, she's turning into Azula…_Zuko thought. The notion unsettled him; one Azula was more than enough.

Then they heard the Earthbending girl speak, her tone soft and gentle, a far cry from what Zuko had heard her talk like before.

"I'm sorry." The girl said, sounding slightly hesitant.

"Yes, you said that already." Mai hissed, rolling her eyes again. "Say something else, something useful."

"Shut up." Zuko muttered through gritted teeth. Mai would never know the pain of losing her mother at an early age, so could never understand where Katara's grief was coming from. At least, not the way Zuko could.

_Not that that's relevant to anything, _Zuko thought hastily. Katara was vulnerable right now, and Azula would expect him to exploit that vulnerability…but Zuko couldn't. It was too cold, too cruel and unnecessary. He could get the information his own way, without having to resort to playing on a girl's pain at losing her mother.

"Did I tell you my necklace went missing?" Came Katara's voice suddenly. Zuko stiffened, waiting to see if she would accuse him.

"What? When?" The Earthbender asked, horrified.

"When I woke up, it was gone. I'm pretty sure Zuko took it." Katara replied, sounding defeated.

Zuko winced slightly as he saw Mai look up at him, eyebrows raised. For a moment, he was sure Mai was about to start accusing him, but instead she smirked coldly and nodded her approval. Zuko shrugged coolly as if it were nothing.

Toph's eyebrows shot up in disbelief.

"Zuko?" She echoed. "Zuko took your necklace?"

Katara nodded glumly. Her tears had stopped, and now she just felt tired and emotionally worn out.

"He says it wasn't but who else would it be? Sid the wily jewellery gnome?" Katara asked sighing, and Toph smiled. "I just don't understand why he took it." Toph's smile turned malicious.

"Maybe it makes him feel pretty." She said, her blind eyes glinting with amusement. Katara laughed and immediately felt better.

"Whatever issues he has, he'll have to deal with them in his own time, when I'm not there. In fact, he can deal with them when we're all out of Ba Sing Se, a long way from the Fire Nation and the war." She said, wistfully thinking of such a place.

"Is there any place away from the Fire Nation?" Toph asked, now serious. Katara's smile dropped slowly as she shook her head.

"To be honest…I don't know." She murmured, looking down. "I would say the Water Tribe, but the Southern Water Tribe wasn't up to much last time I saw it, and the Northern Tribe barely survived the Fire Nation's last siege. I think the only reason we survived at all was because of luck."

"Sokka told me that Aang turned into a giant spirit monster that wiped the Fire Nation Navy out." Toph pointed out.

"Well, there was that too." Katara agreed. Quickly reminded of something, she glanced around the room, looking for Toph's bowl of soup.

"Come on, you should get back." Mai whispered, nudging Zuko, who almost fell. Shooting Mai a dirty look, he nodded and pushed himself upright.

"If they say anything else-"

"-I'll tell you." Mai finished for him. "Now hurry, in case they say anything interesting."

Zuko allowed Mai to lead him back to his cell.

"You know I took the necklace out of revenge, right?" Zuko asked suddenly. Mai smiled faintly and nodded. Zuko, relieved, nodded back to her and walked back into his cell, not relishing the idea that he may not get out for awhile.

"Did they feed you?" Katara asked hurriedly. Toph nodded slowly.

"They brought in some food for me…but I didn't eat it. I think it was supposed to be soup, but it had this weird cabbagey smell to it, so now I'm not so sure." Toph mused.

"Yes, it remains a mystery." Katara said distractedly, looking around for a bowl. "Where's your soup?"

"Oh, I wouldn't eat it so the guards took it away…a couple of minutes before you showed up actually." Toph told her.

Katara cursed under her breath. _A couple of minutes? Well my timing sucks…_

"What did you say?" Asked Toph enquiringly. Katara turned to her.

"Nothing that you don't already know." She said, remembering Toph's alarmingly large vocabulary when it came to swear words.

After that, the two girls spent awhile talking, sometimes discussing how they would escape, sometimes wondering how Sokka and Aang were getting on, and sometimes just meaningless girl-talk. Katara was just filling Toph in about her history with Jet (well, it passed the time) when Mai opened the door sharply and walked in.

"Get up." She told Katara harshly. Two guards (different again, as Katara noticed) strode in and grabbed Katara roughly by her upper arms, hoisting her up.

"Hey!" Katara complained, trying to tug herself away from the guards' grip. As before, it didn't work. Looking over her shoulder at Toph, Katara called back.

"Don't worry. I'll be back soon." She said, in what she hoped was a comforting, enthusiastic voice. She was pushed out of the cell, into the corridor. Mai remained behind with a still-chained Toph.

"Yeah, that's what _she_ thinks." Mai said nastily, before stepping out after them and shutting the door, leaving Toph, once again, alone.

Katara was practically thrown into her cell. After she was shoved inside, she stumbled and had to clutch at the wall for support. Sighing, she brushed off her arms and made her way over to her mattress, pointedly ignoring Zuko. That was, until, she noticed what was lying on the floor.

_My necklace! _Katara thought, shocked. She quickly swooped down and grabbed it, fastening it around her neck, a smile on her face. The necklace wasn't damaged at all, not even scratched. Still smiling, Katara stood, upright and turned around to Zuko's mattress. He was in his usual position; leaning against the wall with an unimpressed look on his face.

"Thank you." Katara said, her smile lessening slightly to show that she was sincere.

"For what?" Zuko asked, taking his back off the wall and looking up at her. Katara's smile faded a little more as she realized that he was still pretending that he hadn't taken her necklace.

"For giving me back my mother's necklace." Katara told him. "Of course, you shouldn't have taken it in the first place, but I'll look past that this time."

Zuko sighed heavily and stood up. Katara hated when he did this; it made her feel small and self-conscious. She folded her arms across her chest, and looked up at him. He looked just as steadily back down at her.

"For the last time. I Did Not Take Your Mother's Necklace." He told her. She sighed in exasperation and dropped her hands to her sides.

"Whatever." She said, shaking her head and turning away from him. For the first time Katara noticed that there was only one lamp lit, giving the cell an eerie glow. She didn't know what time it was, just that it had been a long day and she was tired. Stepping over to her mattress she made sure her necklace was securely in place before lying down. She was about to shut her eyes when she thought of something and sat back up. Looking over to Zuko, Katara saw that he was about to extinguish the lamp.

"Oh, and Zuko?" She asked, making her voice sweet. He turned to her in an expression that asked her what she wanted.

"Next time you feel the need to steal my things…" Katara started, looking Zuko square in the eye. She made her voice harder. "Don't."

She stood there for perhaps five seconds, merely staring at Zuko. Then, she smiled again, but this time there was something else in her smile; a hint of danger.

"Goodnight." She said, before lying down on the mattress and shutting her eyes. She dimly registered the lamp going out and the cell being plunged into total darkness before she fell asleep.

Zuko extinguished the lamp, then sat down on the edge of his mattress, thinking. He had a new emotion stirring inside of him right now, and he wasn't sure exactly what it was. It had only started after he had heard the Waterbender's story, but he knew it wasn't pity. The way she had gone about every day after her mother's death as normal impressed Zuko, as did the fact that she hadn't completely broken down yet, despite everything that had gone wrong for her. Was that why he had returned her necklace, because he was impressed with her strength? Possibly. It left Zuko a little amazed that, after pouring her heart out to her friend, she could walk in here as if nothing had happened, with not even traces of tears on her face.

Sighing, Zuko lay down on his mattress and closed his eyes. Just before he drifted off to sleep, he realized what that new feeling towards the Water Tribe girl was:

Respect.

_**A/N:**_

_**Hey, well I'm back from sunny California. I managed to sprain my wrist snowboarding, but that didn't stop me from typing this chapter up.**_

_**Sorry for the "Sid the wily jewellery gnome" thing. It was a Buffy the Vampire Slayer reference, apart from Buffy said "Sid the wily dairy gnome"…lol.**_

**_By the way, Kohroxmysox, and anyone else who was wondering about my spelling: I'm British, so sorry if some words have an extra "u" in them._**

_**Oh, also, I need you guys' opinion on something. Do you want me to do a chapter on Sokka, Aang and Iroh? I already have pretty much the whole story planned out, but I can slip in an extra chapter if you want.**_

_**Please review with your opinions, and as always, many thanks to those who review :D**_


	17. Worry

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

_**A/N:**_

_**Okay, here's the deal. This chapter is to do with Sokka, Aang and Iroh. You can read this chapter or skip ahead to the next chapter, as this chapter won't advance the normal story along in any way. Either way, enjoy what you're reading!**_

Sokka gazed at the ground from his position on Appa. It had been several hours since Katara and Toph had left, and he was worried about his little sister. Well, when wasn't he? But this time it was different…she was going somewhere to purposefully get captured, and knowing the Fire Nation, her capture would not be gentle. Sokka tried to reason with himself by saying that Katara could look after herself, plus, she was with Toph, who was no pushover.

_Yeah, and she really looked after herself down under Ba Sing Se…_Sokka told himself. In the times he had been conscious, Aang had filled Sokka and the Earth King in on what exactly had happened earlier. Sokka was horrified when he heard about the Fire sibling's attacks on both Aang and Katara, but he wasn't that surprised. Sure, Iroh had been full of "Zuko has good inside of him" but Sokka didn't believe it for a minute. And as for Azula, well, she was just insane. Which now led him back to the current problem. The sun was setting; casting its dying rays over the Outer Wall of Ba Sing Se. Aang was sleeping, as was the Earth King. The Earth King's bear - Bosco - seemed to have gone off hunting, although Sokka wasn't sure how that would turn out. After all, Bosco had (Sokka was assuming) spent his entire life being cared for and waited on hand and foot. Sokka would be impressed if the bear managed to catch a leaf.

Being by himself didn't always agree with Sokka. He was left alone with his thoughts which, despite what Katara might quip, were many. Mostly he just went over all the ways he could have stopped Katara and Toph from leaving the gang. They could have stayed, and left Iroh in the clutches of his family. True, this may seem heartless, but surely there was another Firebender out there who would be willing to teach the Avatar?

_We would've figured something out…_Sokka fretted. To Katara he thought: _I told Dad I would protect you, but how can I when you've grown up so much?_

Resting his chin on his knees, Sokka continued to stare desolately at the ground. His mind seemed to be waging war against itself. One part was advising Sokka not to worry, that Katara was a master Waterbender, and had faced off with Zuko before, and won. The other part was saying that Katara - despite how mature she may act - was still only fourteen. Plus, she had the power of the moon on her side when she had defeated Zuko at the North Pole.

"We can't go for them yet…we have to wait." Sokka told himself, almost sternly. Because, no matter how much Sokka wanted to go and retrieve his little sister and his friend, he knew that doing so may make things worse.

"Sokka?" Asked a weak voice from below him. Quickly lifting his chin up from his knees, Sokka stood up on Appa. Managing to balance, he crossed Appa's back and climbed down to where Aang was lay, eyes open blearily.

"What's up?" Sokka murmured. It seemed a habit that in the presence of ill people, Sokka tended to lower his voice. It had nothing to do with waking the Earth King up; for all Sokka cared they would drop him off in the nearest safe house then fly away in the opposite direction.

"They'll be okay you know." Aang said faintly. His throat felt dry, and no amount of water would quench his thirst right now. Sokka had light-heartedly suggested cactus juice, but Aang did not seem to register this joke. Sokka realized soon after that Aang had not been there to witness Sokka's cactus-juice-induced high and felt like an idiot.

Sokka gently lay his hand down on Aang's shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"I know." Sokka smiled. "Besides, did you see Katara's hair when you escaped? No way will she let Zuko and Azula get away with that."

Aang smiled weakly and shut his eyes again, soon falling asleep. Sokka was glad that this joke had registered, even if it wasn't a particularly good joke. He wasn't concerned that Aang had fallen asleep; he had done this a lot in the past few hours.

_I guess that's what getting shot by lightning will do to a guy…_Sokka thought, standing up and leaning against Appa, sighing. No matter what anyone told him, he would be worried about Katara and Toph.

Aang drifted in and out of consciousness, barely registering his surroundings in his conscious periods. When he was awake - like now - his head felt like he had been slammed against rock repeatedly. Which, come to think it, he had. Of course he had to have a fight with the Fire Lord's children in an environment with no soft things to land on. The only blessing was the waterfall and underground river which had proved an extremely valuable source of water. Without the waterfall, Katara wouldn't have stood a chance.

_Katara…_Aang thought, troubled. _I tried to save her, but if Iroh hadn't come then I would have gotten her killed…if I can't save Katara, then how am I meant to save the world?_

Aang tried to open his eyes, but struggled. It felt as though the strain of opening his eyelids would kill him; as though weights had been grafted onto his entire body, making it difficult to execute even the simplest move.

_Helpless._

Aang didn't like the sound of that word, yet it was the word best fitting him now.

_Yeah, along with "failure" and "weak"…_Aang thought, frustrated. He would groan if he had the energy, but instead he just lay there, wallowing in guilt. Unable to move. Unable to focus. Eventually he just let unconsciousness overpower him once more.

When Iroh had opened his eyes, the two girls had gone. Immediately, he had sat up, despite his bad back, and scanned the cell once more. When he was sure that Toph and Katara weren't around (it wasn't hard to determine; after all it was a very small cell) he began running through all possible scenarios in his mind as to what had happened to them. These were torturous thoughts, as Iroh knew what Azula was capable of.

_Azula needed these girls to find out information on the Avatar…she wouldn't kill them, _Iroh had decided, although he wasn't sure if this was purely wishful thinking. Azula may not have been willing to kill her captives, but she knew plenty of ways to inflict pain without causing her victim to die. Plus, she needed only one girl to tell her about the Avatar.

Getting increasingly worried, Iroh prayed that someone would come to his cell. Anyone. The Dai Li, Azula, Zuko…it could even be the Fire Lord, just so long as he could tell Iroh what was going on.

Ignoring the bitter cold that had crept into the cell, Iroh tried to preoccupy himself. Of course, this being possibly _the _single most boring place ever, there wasn't a lot to be preoccupied with.

Iroh was on his seventh time counting how many stones made up a wall when there was a sharp rap on the metal door. Intrigued, Iroh waited for the door to be unlocked, and, sure enough, a few moments later the door swung open to reveal the Dai Li agent Cai.

"Hello." Iroh greeted politely. He briefly wondered if Cai had access to any sort of tea, but quickly pushed the idea aside.

"I'm sorry about the drugged soup. I swear I had nothing to do with it. I didn't even know about it until it was too late." Cai babbled, ignoring Iroh's greeting. He appeared to be on-edge, but his rushed sentence seemed genuinely guilty.

"I accept your apology." Iroh said sincerely. Then, getting straight to the point with: "Do you know where Toph and Katara are?"

Cai looked down, and for a moment Iroh feared the worst. Then Cai looked back up, and Iroh felt like he was holding his breath.

"One of the girls is in a cell down near to here. It is not as large as this, but she hasn't been harmed in any way. The other girl is sharing a cell with your nephew. It appears the Princess double-crossed her brother." Cai allowed himself a chuckle at the irony of this turn of events.

Iroh however, although relieved to hear that neither girl was hurt, had a very bad feeling about who was sharing the cell with Zuko.

"Which girl is sharing with my nephew?" Iroh pressed. _Don't be Katara, don't be Katara, don't be Katara, _He silently willed.

"The elder girl, the Waterbender." Cai answered, evidently not hearing Iroh's prayer.

The old man winced slightly, imagining both Katara and Zuko's outrage at finding out who their cellmate was.

"I assume this was Princess Azula's idea?" He asked, but he already knew the answer. Azula would know how uncomfortable it would be for Zuko to even be in the same room as the girl he had just emotionally and physically hurt. So, of course, she would do whatever made someone the least comfortable.

"Yes." Cai replied, nodding. Why?"

Iroh debated with himself for perhaps two seconds on whether or not to fill Cai in on Zuko and Katara's history together. He decided against, seeing as it would probably take too long. Especially as he would have to include the Avatar and the girl's brother into the mix.

"It doesn't matter." Iroh said, shaking his head at the sudden rush of memories. "I trust Toph, Katara and Zuko aren't hurt in any way?"

Cai again chuckled. "I think your nephew's pride has taken a serious blow. Other than that, all three are fine."

Iroh nodded, relieved. _Assuming Katara will manage not to kill Zuko anytime soon, I'd say that they will remain safe. Unless of course, Azula decides that she needs_ _information on the Avatar now_…he thought.

"How are you doing?" Cai asked, sitting down on the stone floor. Iroh saw him shifting uncomfortably in his long robes, trying to get into a position which would suitably relaxing.

"You don't happen to have any Ginseng tea do you?" Iroh asked.

"I'm sorry." Cai shook his head as Iroh's face fell slightly. "But I _am_ working on a plan to get you all out of here."

"I suppose that will have to do then." Iroh smiled warmly. He knew that this young agent wouldn't have any tea, but didn't see the harm in asking him anyway.

"And I'll update you whenever I hear anything on Princess Azula's plans." Cai promised. Iroh nodded, wondering exactly what Azula was planning on doing right now. Whatever it was, it would not bode well for the Avatar's companions.

Iroh and Cai sat in silence for several minutes, each contemplating their own deep thoughts. Well, Iroh's thoughts were on tea, but he was sure that the younger boy's thoughts were more meaningful.

Suddenly, Cai smiled shyly up at Iroh.

"So…I heard you once tried to invade Ba Sing Se?" He asked, trying to conceal his curiosity. Iroh smiled widely and nodded. He looked off dreamily for a moment, a distant expression on his vacant face.

"Yes," Iroh replied, his dreamy tone matching his expression.

"How did you do it? And why did you fail?" Cai asked, his youth shining through with his inquisitiveness.

"Would you like to hear the full story?" Iroh asked, feeling like a grandfather retelling his young grandson stories.

Cai nodded enthusiastically and Iroh took a deep breath.

_This could take some time…_

_**A/N:**_

_**I know that this was only a short (well, relatively) chapter, but I hope it was okay. Just let me know if you want any more info on Sokka, Aang, the Earth King and Bosco or Iroh anytime soon )**_

_**Anyway, I'm off to write the next chapter. You're reading this, so presumably you're off to read the next chapter. Lol, enjoy, and don't forget to review this chapter as well :D**_


	18. Denial?

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

The following morning, Zuko woke up at his normal time (sunrise) and began to meditate. The soft light from the flames illuminated the cell slightly, and Zuko noticed that Katara had fallen asleep grasping her neck - obviously reaching for her mother's necklace protectively.

_Like I'd steal it again, _Zuko scoffed, _considering the hell she gave me last time._

Focusing back on the flames, Zuko closed his eyes and allowed his breathing to stabilise. Slowly all his surroundings began to slip away from him and he became aware of nothing but his own breathing.

That was, until, the Water Tribe girl managed to roll into the stone wall and cried out.

Opening his eyes abruptly, Zuko snapped his head over to the girl's mattress to see her rolling back over to face him, a frown on her face.

"Stupid wall." He heard her mutter. She appeared to be still asleep, or in the process of getting back to sleep.

_Surely not even _she_ can manage to collide with a wall in her sleep? _Zuko thought, with a half-disparaging, half-amused final glance to the Waterbender. Her hair had become tousled in her sleep, and if she were anything like the girls he had encountered in Ba Sing Se, she would be rapidly trying to fix it when she woke up.

For his own sanity, he severely hoped Katara hadn't suddenly become like any girls from Ba Sing Se.

Allowing his focus to drift back to the flames, Zuko steadied his breathing once more. If he was lucky, the Waterbender would stay stationary in her bed long enough so that Zuko could continue to meditate.

Sure enough, it was at least another two hours before the girl stirred again. Zuko heard her movements and opened his eyes, watching her clumsy, still weary movements. She sat up on her mattress, rubbing her head slowly.

"Something wrong?" Zuko smirked. He didn't know if the girl could remember smacking her head on the wall, but she seemed to be feeling the effects.

"My head's just a little sore…" The Waterbender frowned. She looked up to see Zuko smirking at her and her frown deepened.

"What's so funny?" She snarled. Zuko knew it was probably not best to infuriate her more when she was like this - unless of course he wanted his head bitten off again.

"Nothing." He replied, turning back to the lantern. However, the smirk was still on his face. _Talk about the bear with a sore head…_Zuko thought, wondering when the Water Tribe girl's mood would increase. While it was true, Zuko wasn't much of a conversationalist, it was disconcerting to be in the same room as a girl who wouldn't talk.

Katara stood up after about ten minutes of rubbing her head. To be honest, after the first two minutes it had stopped hurting, but she just wanted to sit down without appearing lazy. She really wasn't a morning person. In fact, it could take her up to an hour to wake up. Katara didn't know if this had to do with her being a Waterbender, or just more of a night person, but it was quite annoying.

_On the bright side, at least I'm not as bad as Sokka…_Katara thought, smiling sadly at the thought of her brother. _I wonder how he and Aang are getting on?_

It took Katara perhaps three seconds to realize that there had been no point in standing up, as there was nowhere to go. With a defeated sigh, she slumped back onto her mattress. She was hungry and needed the bathroom desperately, and hoped that one of the Dai Li would come soon. There was a silence in the cell that Katara didn't like. She was used to noise. Be it Sokka complaining about the lack of food, or the lack of sleep or…well, just complaining about things in general. But there was nothing she wished to say to Zuko.

Well, that wasn't strictly true.

She wanted to ask him why he had done it. Why he had sided with his sister and aided in killing the Avatar. Why he had gone against his uncle in favour of honour. But if Katara asked this then she knew that she wouldn't get an answer, so she saw no point in trying.

_I suppose I can live with silence…_Katara thought, although she didn't really have much of a choice.

Zuko seemed to be equally bored, if how he was sat was any indication. He had resumed his normal position of leaning against the wall, legs stretched out in front of him, expressionless.

There was a sudden rap on the door, and Katara stood up, grateful for the break from silence. A Dai Li agent entered, carrying two bowls filled with the same "soup" that had been served yesterday. A quick look at Zuko told Katara that he felt the same way she did about their food.

The agent set their bowls down, then informed them that he would be escorting them to and from the bathroom. Katara, relieved at this statement, walked towards the agent, who nodded curtly and led her out of the door. Katara had no idea where she was going, but it was nice to be able to stretch her legs more than she had been able to the past day or so. There was obviously no natural light down here, so there was no means by which to tell what time it was.

_Well, there's Zuko who apparently "rises with the sun"…I suppose he's a good way to tell when it's morning, _Katara thought, as she followed the agent through the corridors. Every so often, the agent fleetingly glanced back to check that she was still there then nodded in approval, his gaze lingering a little longer each time. After two long minutes of walking, they reached a stone corridor, with nothing but a metal door there.

"Through there." The agent muttered, opening the door and roughly shoving Katara through.

Katara was in and out as quickly as possible; there was an irrational paranoia that she was being watched everywhere she went, and here was no exception. After shutting the door so hard that it echoed dimly around the corridor, Katara followed the agent once more, wondering as she did if all the doors were metallic. She felt more refreshed now, more awake. She desperately wanted fresh water to wash her face, but obviously none was available. Katara knew that if she asked for any, she would be laughed at for a lengthy period of time. So instead she kept quiet and followed the agent back along the maze-like corridors, only realizing that they had reached her cell when the agent opened a door and shoved her inside.

"Do you need to shove?" Katara asked hotly, jerking away from the agent and sitting back down on her mattress. For some reason, she saw Zuko shake his head as thought exasperated as he stood up and followed the agent.

Seeing this as an ideal time to bend the soup, Katara crept over to her bowl and sneakily bended the liquid inside of her pouch. Furtively, she glanced around and then sat back down.

_Was there really a need for such dramatics? _Katara asked herself, _you knew you were alone and that no one saw you. _Katara sat for a few minutes, wondering when she would next be able to see Toph, until Zuko came back. He noticed Katara's empty bowl and raised his eyebrows at her.

"I was hungry." She shrugged, hoping to seem nonchalant. Zuko didn't believe her, it was written all over his face, but didn't comment further. In fact, he sat back down and closed his eyes. Katara began fiddling with an out of place strand of hair absent-mindedly, when she noticed the agent was still in the room. He was looking at her strangely, and Katara suddenly had the feeling that he had been for the past minute or so.

"Is there a problem?" Katara asked icily. She tucked the strand of hair behind her ear and stood up to face the agent. He shook his head and smirked.

"Not from where I'm standing." He said, glancing up and down at Katara appreciatively.

Katara raised her eyebrows in disbelieving disgust. _There is no way this man just said what I think he said…_she thought, narrowing her eyes at him. Out of the corner of one of her narrowed eyes, she could see Zuko's eyes open swiftly and dart to the agent in front of him.

"I can get you access to your friend and the old man." The agent said, looking steadily at Katara. "For a price." He added.

"We don't have any money." Katara told him hesitantly. Surely he would know that? Unbeknownst to Katara, Zuko's eyes were flashing dangerously and his fists were beginning to clench.

"Trust me, money isn't what I had in mind." The agent said suggestively.

Before Katara knew what was happening, Zuko was standing and had rammed his fist into the agent's face. The agent crumpled onto the floor in pain, blood spurting from his nose. Zuko was breathing heavily, steam emitting from his nostrils and his fists still clenched.

Katara's eyes had widened at this scene, and seemed permanently stuck that way. She stepped away from Zuko, who looked angrier than she had ever seen him.

"I suggest you learn some respect." Zuko told the agent coldly. He glared down at him until the agent, whimpering slightly, stood up with difficulty.

"You won't get away with this." The agent sneered. As he was clutching his nose, his words sounded odd and muffled, but still distinguishable.

"Next time I'll use fire." Zuko promised, in the same hard voice. The agent flung the door open and, leaving whatever dignity he had in the cell, slammed the door shut again.

Katara stood staring at Zuko for a few seconds, not understanding why he had just done what he had. And for her. Zuko had not moved, and his breathing was still harsh. When it had stabilised, he turned around to face Katara who, despite herself, took another step back.

"I'm not going to hurt you." Zuko said, arrogance in his voice. Feeling slightly stupid, Katara nodded but did not move.

"Thank you." She said, looking up at Zuko.

"I may have been brought up in the Fire Nation, but I know about respect and honour." Zuko told her. "And that man was neither respectful nor honourable."

Katara nodded again, finding nothing to say. To be honest, she was a little embarrassed, but made her way to her mattress and sat back down on it again. As Zuko did the same action, Katara couldn't help but wonder if maybe he was changing after all. Maybe he truly regretted siding with Azula. Maybe he wasn't so bad.

Or maybe she was in denial.

_**A/N:**_

_**And this concludes our two-chapter-for-one special, lol. I promise this story is about to pick up, thanks for sticking with it.**_

_**I hope you enjoyed whichever chapter you were reading, and thanks to my reviewers so far, you all rock :D**_

_**Oh, hey, extra incentive to review: tomorrow is my birthday, so please let me wake up to reviews lol.**_


	19. Not So Bad

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

The next two days passed without major incident. Zuko hadn't mentioned the agent, so Katara didn't say anything on the subject either. However, she found herself becoming less and less hostile towards Zuko. In this cell, it didn't matter what he had done or why she was there in the first place. All that mattered was that they were here, so there was no point in fighting. Of course, Katara didn't speak a word about Aang, but occasionally semi-serious complaints about her brother would come into the conversation.

"You just wouldn't think it possible to get two fish hooks stuck in your thumb, would you?" Katara asked Zuko, who was in his usual leaning position, looking vaguely amused. "Well, my brother managed it. He couldn't hold a weapon for weeks afterwards." Katara smiled at the memory.

Zuko had watched her carefully when she was talking about her family. Although she complained about her brother, it was clear she loved him deeply. This sibling love was beyond Zuko, who had grown up with the sister from hell.

"You look after your brother a lot?" He asked, already knowing the answer.

Sure enough, Katara nodded, still smiling faintly.

"Yes. Back at the South Pole, my grandmother and I were responsible for the whole tribe. Yet Sokka seemed to think it was his duty to protect us."

"I remember." Zuko smirked. He doubted that the memory of the Water Tribe boy's attempt at fighting Zuko would ever fade from his mind; it was just too pathetic.

Katara coughed uncomfortably and looked away. It was little comments like this that reminded Katara of Zuko's heritage. In truth, she was beginning to like talking with Zuko, and didn't want to be reminded of how many times he had tried to capture Aang before. Part of her felt guilty for wanting to talk with Zuko, after all, how recently had he attacked her? She knew that she shouldn't ever talk to him again, but it was difficult not to.

_Because he's the only person in this cell with me, _Katara reassured herself. _As soon as I get out of here, it's back to hating him. _However, the longer Katara spent in this cell, the less likely this would become.

There was a few minutes of silence, in which Katara tried to think of something to say which wouldn't have anything to do with Aang or the Fire Nation or the war. Needless to say, she couldn't come up with anything. So, deciding it would be better to stay quiet than bring up a sore subject, Katara reached forward for her bowl of soup that had been dropped off earlier. She hadn't had the chance to pour the soup into her pouch yet, and she was hungry. Or thirsty. Or whatever this liquid was supposed to help with.

"You're not going to drink that, are you?" Zuko asked in a disapproving voice. Katara looked up and saw him, eyebrows raised at her.

"Why wouldn't I?" She asked, drawing the bowl closer to her. It scraped across the stone floor, giving off a high-pitched screech. Trying not to wince at the noise, Katara carried on moving the bowl. Zuko shrugged at her question, and gestured for her to continue. Lifting the bowl up to her mouth, Katara took a sip and began to choke at its taste. Swallowing it as fast as she could, she grimaced and quickly pushed the bowl away. Shuddering, she glanced back up to see Zuko looking incredibly smug.

"Told you." He said, his smirk widening. Katara narrowed her eyes.

"It wasn't that bad." She told him, refusing to let him think he was right, even though she wanted to be sick right now from that disgusting mixture they called soup.

"Oh yeah?" Zuko asked, sounding highly disbelieving. Of course, Katara couldn't blame him. She hadn't even convinced herself. "Prove it."

_Drink the soup and risk choking again or let Zuko win? _Katara deliberated, but only for a moment.

Cursing her pride, Katara lifted the bowl up to her lips again, prepared to drink the foul liquid for the second time in not even as many minutes. She was saved by the unexpected click of the lock and the door swinging open.

_Oh thank Tui and La and all of the Gods that are watching right now, _Katara silently thanked, hurriedly placing the bowl back down.

Mai stepped into the cell, sighing as she did. She narrowed her eyes as she noticed Zuko's smirk that was still directed at Katara. Seeing this, Katara looked away and stood up. Zuko followed suit, his smirk (but not his smugness) fading.

"I have to escort you to the bathroom." Mai told them, her upper lip curled in disgust, showing the amount of enthusiasm she had in her task. Nodding, Katara walked up to Mai first. This had been the trend for the past two days, and Zuko seemed not to have a problem with it.

Mai glared at her, before pushing her out of the cell roughly. Katara managed to keep her balance and carried on walking, now used to this sort of treatment. She wasn't about to pretend she knew the route to the bathroom, even after three days this place was still a maze. It wasn't always Mai who would escort her to the bathroom. Yesterday it was the bubbly acrobat Ty Lee. This had been torture for Katara, who had been on the receiving end of Ty Lee's upbeat personality and non-stop questions. At least Mai, who seemed more and more depressed every time Katara saw her, did not talk at all to her. That did not mean that Katara couldn't try to talk to Mai.

"How long is Azula going to keep us down here?" Katara asked. Mai ignored her, but quickened her pace, shoving Katara's shoulder to make her go faster too. Gritting her teeth in annoyance, Katara's pace became swifter, and she found herself at the bathroom a lot quicker than she had anticipated. It was only when Katara entered this bathroom she discovered that this bathroom was different than the one she had previously been in. This bathroom had a basin and a mirror and - Katara noticed ecstatically - running water. After relieving herself, Katara ran the water over her face, relishing its cool caress over her skin. She realized that Mai probably didn't know that she had taken Katara to the wrong bathroom, after all it was only her first time on bathroom duty. Taking advantage of this, Katara swiftly poured away all of the cabbage soup and refilled her pouch to the brim with fresh water. Sipping the running water, Katara looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her hair was a mess and her face still had traces of dirt on it. Ashamed that she had walked around looking like this, Katara quickly adjusted her hair and wiped her face vigorously. Nodding in approval at her reflection, Katara bended all traces of water from her face and hair; if Mai discovered that there was a sink in here, she would figure out that Katara had refilled her pouch. After one last gulp of water, she decided that if she stayed in here any longer it would arouse suspicion.

Opening the door, Katara stepped out and almost walked straight into Mai.

"You took your time." Mai hissed suspiciously, glancing critically up and down at Katara. Feeling slightly self-conscious under Mai's glare, Katara began to walk away. Mai hurried to catch up with her, then caught her arm and began dragging Katara. Katara tugged her arm away, but kept pace with Mai.

"I can walk by myself, thanks." Katara told Mai icily.

"You'll do what I want you to peasant." Mai spat at her.

"It's bad enough when Zuko calls me that. Don't you start." Katara muttered, glancing up just in time to see Mai blush slightly at the mention of Zuko's name. Quickly looking back down, Katara tried not to smile.

_Aww, someone has a crush on the Fire Prince. How sweet, _Katara thought. Then, with an unexpected burst of venom: _They deserve each other._

It took Katara the rest of the walk back to the cell to mull over Mai's feelings. Considering the only emotions she displayed were anger and boredom, Katara was surprised that Mai could feel such a complex emotion such as love.

Katara walked into the cell, took one look at Zuko and began to smirk uncontrollably. She sat down on her mattress and began examining her fingernails, unaware that Zuko and Mai were staring at her as though she had lost her mind. It was only when Mai left with Zuko that Katara stopped smirking.

_Could we use her feelings to our advantage? Maybe get her to help us escape? _She wondered, looking thoughtfully at the locked door. However, she quickly disposed of this thought. It was too cold, too cruel…

_Too Fire Nation._

"What's her problem?" Zuko asked Mai as soon as they were out of earshot of the Waterbender. Mai shook her head, muttered something about not knowing and looked away. Zuko rolled his eyes.

_Were all girls this weird? _He wondered. _Or is it just the ones I know?_

"How far are you from getting the information from the peasant?" Mai asked suddenly, raising her head back up, but not quite meeting Zuko's eyes.

Zuko considered telling Mai the truth; that although he seemed to be having conversations with the Waterbender, he could still sense her hesitation when she talked to him, as though she was choosing her words carefully. At times she seemed afraid of him, but Zuko wrote this thought off. She had nothing to be afraid of.

_Apart from she's trapped in a cell with a Fire Prince who tried to capture her friend and repeatedly attacked her? Not to mention she is currently defenceless and you're getting restless to Firebend again, _an annoying voice pointed out.

_Oh God, _Zuko thought, resigned. _You're back._

He hadn't missed this voice at all in its absence, and he had been suffering fewer headaches than normal.

_Admit it. You missed me, _the voice said, but Zuko ignored it.

He realized that Mai was looking up at him for an answer to her question. Zuko thought about it for a moment more, then answered.

"I'm getting there."

Katara had been quite happily bending her newly acquired water around the cell when she heard the faint footsteps outside. Hurriedly, she bended the water back into its pouch then sealed the top. Trying to look as though she hadn't just been secretly Waterbending, Katara leant against the wall and examined her nails once more until the lock clicked and the door opened.

Zuko walked in and immediately threw her a suspicious glare. Taken aback momentarily, Katara was about to demand what his problem was when she remembered.

_Zuko was probably taken to the same bathroom as me…which means he noticed the running water! _Katara thought, trying not to let the panic she was feeling show on her face.

"Mai did you know that the bathrooms-" Zuko began, but then caught the Waterbender's pleading look on her face. Her eyes were wider than normal through panic, and she shook her head subtly at him. Zuko could take a hint. If he betrayed the Waterbender's secret, then she would definitely never trust him.

"…are really nice." He finished, lamely.

_Nice? You couldn't have come up with something better? Oh I'm stuck with an idiot…_the voice sighed.

The Waterbender breathed out (apparently she had been holding her breath) and became noticeably calmer.

"Well that's great." Mai said, expressionless. "I'll be sure to inform the Dai Li. I'm sure they'd love to know their cleaning efforts are appreciated."

Both Zuko and Katara stared at Mai and her sarcasm. Had Zuko ever heard Mai be sarcastic before? He racked his memories, but couldn't find any. _Well, there's a first time for everything…_

As if realizing her mistake, Mai turned on her heel and left the cell, shutting the cell door behind her with a loud clang.

As soon as she had gone, Katara turned to Zuko with grateful eyes.

"Thank you." She said, standing up.

"You're lucky she had no idea where she was going." Zuko told the girl, brushing off her apology completely. He felt bitter towards her for some reason, as though she shouldn't have dared to stock up on water.

_Or maybe you're a little bit worried now she can defend herself? Or, possibly, attack you? _Asked the voice, sounding superior. But Zuko knew

it wasn't that. He could beat the Waterbender with ease, he knew.

_At one point in the fight, you had to save Azula from her, _the voice pointed out. _Maybe you could acknowledge that she might be at least powerful?_

_No._ Zuko replied sternly. He would not allow some peasant to be stronger than him in anything, let alone fighting.

Katara couldn't help but feel annoyed that Zuko had brushed her off like that. She hadn't had to apologize; she could've just ignored him. But no. She apologized and he basically ignored her. But that was just Zuko. His moods changed faster than anyone Katara had ever known and to be honest she didn't know how to deal with it. So she just kept silent and sat back down. After all, at any point Zuko could change his mind and tell Mai about Katara's stash of water. After a moment of silence Katara decided to speak, to show how she felt about Zuko's ignorance.

"You know that Mai is into you, right?" She asked, trying not to let the malice in her voice show through.

Zuko looked up sharply and scowled. From what Katara could tell, he knew but didn't want to be reminded of it. Which of course could only mean that Katara reminded him of it.

"I mean, it's obvious from the way she looks at you." Katara continued, pretending to be oblivious to Zuko's glare.

"Why, because that's the same way the Avatar looks at you?" Zuko spat back, much to Katara's surprise.

_Okay…what? _She wondered. Opening her mouth to say something, she realized that there was nothing witty to say back to this. As evidenced by her next sentence of:

"What? No! He doesn't-"

Zuko raised his eyebrows at her, his anger dissipating at her obvious unawareness of the young Avatar's feelings for her.

"Doesn't he?" Zuko asked. "Come on. Even your blind friend can see it."

"Aang and I are just friends." Katara said coldly. "And I'm not going to sit here discussing that with you."

Zuko smirked, but nodded. "Fine."

"Fine." Katara agreed. She wouldn't allow anything Zuko said get to her; she wouldn't give him that satisfaction. But she couldn't stop thinking about what he said. Did Aang really like her? Gods, she hoped not. Aang was a part of her family, and she loved him like a brother.

After a few minutes, Katara leant against the wall again, going over Zuko's words in her mind. Troubled, she began to gnaw at her lip unconsciously. Soon, she tasted the metallic tang of blood in her mouth and stopped, unaware that Zuko was watching her.

"Do you do that every time you're worried?" He asked, genuinely interested. If she did, then it was a surprise that she still had any of her lips left.

"Only when the situation is this bad." Katara replied truthfully.

"I didn't know how much talking about the Avatar could upset you." Zuko said, as it became completely clear to him that she really had no idea how the young boy felt. It was obvious she didn't reciprocate these feelings, and Zuko did not want to be there when she told him.

"It isn't just Aang." Katara said, sighing. "It's everything." She turned her head away from Zuko and licked delicately at the small trickle of blood still coming from her lip.

"Life doesn't turn out the way you expect, does it?" Zuko asked in a quiet voice. Surprised, Katara looked back up. She had expected Zuko to tell her to stop being stupid, or something along those tactful lines. But she noticed Zuko tracing his scar when he uttered those words, and this both confused and saddened her.

"No." Katara replied. "It really doesn't. But if life went the way we all expected it to, then it'd just be-"

"Easy?" Zuko interrupted, his tone low.

Katara smiled and shook her head sadly. "I was going to say boring. But yes, I suppose it would be easy."

"Then maybe it would be better that way." Zuko muttered.

"What happens to us shapes who we are, Zuko." Katara told him gently. It seemed that they could have the best of conversations in unexpected places, if the catacombs had been anything to go by. Still, it was better than talking about Aang or any other touchy subject.

"I know." He replied, looking away. Katara was even more confused by this. She had never seen Zuko like this, looking so desolate and depressed.

"It's ironic, when I was young I used to wish that something interesting would happen. I used to hope every night before I went to sleep that something exciting would happen the next day." Katara sighed.

"Looks like your wish came true." Zuko told her, with no particular emotion behind his words.

Katara laughed bitterly. "Yeah, I guess it did. Because my mother dying, being chased halfway around the world and trying not to be killed on an almost daily basis was _really exciting_." She couldn't keep the biting sarcasm from her voice in this last line.

"I'm sorry about your mother." Zuko murmured unexpectedly.

Katara almost fell off the side of her mattress in shock. Never had she expected Zuko to apologize to her for anything, let alone anything as major as this. However, in attempt to keep her cool, she simply whispered: "Thank you." in return. Katara saw Zuko nod in the dim light, and he looked almost as surprised as she was at his apology.

_Why did I just apologize?! _Zuko asked himself frantically, _I didn't kill her mother! She looks just as shocked as I do…dammit I shouldn't have said anything!_

When the girl replied a soft "thank you" however, Zuko felt differently. Her eyes shimmered with something, something which Zuko could only guess was sadness.

_Please, please don't cry, _Zuko prayed. He didn't know how to handle crying girls, not having much experience with them in the past. To his immense relief, the girl began to smile instead. It was a sad smile, but a smile nonetheless. There was something in her smile that made Zuko almost feel like smiling too. _I'm going insane, _he decided. _It was bound to happen one of these days._

Wanting to lighten the mood, he cast around for something to say. Noticing the pouch that he assumed carried her water, Zuko's eyes narrowed. He still wasn't sure if not telling Mai had been the right thing to do.

Noticing his gaze, the Waterbender smirked. "Don't worry, I won't drown you in your sleep." She teased.

"Like you could." Zuko replied, his quiet voice filled with confidence.

"Oh, I could." Katara assured him. "And it'd serve you right for making me drink that soup earlier."

"I thought you said that soup wasn't so bad." Zuko shot back.

Knowing she had been caught out, Katara laughed a little. "Well…_maybe_ I lied."

"Maybe?" Zuko repeated, his eyebrows raised.

"Okay. I lied." Katara admitted, smiling. She lay down on her mattress and stretched out, noticing as she did that her side no longer hurt. It was good to know it hadn't been anything serious, otherwise she would've had to use her precious water to heal herself. Suddenly tired, Katara yawned sleepily and closed her eyes. She noticed the lights dimming and finally fading away around her and was grateful.

"I guess it isn't so bad here." Katara murmured, keeping her eyes shut. "You just have to ignore the food, the cold, the damp, the fact we're being kept prisoners and the décor."

"What about the company?" Zuko asked through the darkness. Katara thought for a moment then smiled a little.

"The company I can live with."

_**A/N:**_

_**Hey, I've got a maths exam tomorrow (panics) so I wrote this chapter to keep my mind off that. I suppose it's just a filler chapter, but I used it so that Zuko and Katara could talk some more. Hope you enjoyed anyway, thanks for the birthday wishes and the reviews. Oh, and please review this chapter :D**_


	20. Company

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

"_The company I can live with"_

Those words had kept Zuko awake for most of the night. They had stirred emotions in him which he found difficult to ignore, no matter how hard he tried to dispose of them. He had stared up through the darkness, glaring bitterly at the ceiling, contemplating what he was to do next. He knew that by now he should've got at least some information out of the Water Tribe girl he was imprisoned with, but he had nothing. Apart from several very amusing stories of how idiotic her brother was, but they were no help in capturing the Avatar. But now the girl seemed to be opening up to him. She had been talking more and attacking him less, which had been a pleasant change of events. Not that Zuko couldn't handle being attacked by a girl, but it was boring having to listen to the girl shouting all his faults at him. So why had he got next to nothing information? The strong Zuko - the Zuko that would prove to be the future Fire Lord, the Zuko that Azula and his father wanted him to be - would have used and discarded of the peasant by now, but the softer side to Zuko (_it figured that this side would show up now_, he had thought bitterly) didn't want to see the girl in any more pain. She had been through enough pain, caused by either himself or his nation.

And this was what had been keeping him awake. Why did he care about this girl's feelings? He should be indifferent, perhaps act concerned to gain what he wanted to know, but that was it. Instead he was beginning to regret his involvement in the plan to capture the Avatar, mainly because it would mean betraying this Water Tribe peasant.

_Get a grip, _Zuko told himself sternly. _You'll just have to start trying harder to get the information, that's all. After you've got that, you can be out of this cell and eat properly, since it's clearly malnutrition that's causing you to think this way._

Zuko agreed with himself forcefully, but still couldn't fall asleep. He tried to preoccupy himself with thoughts about winning the war, or how returning to the Fire Nation would feel once he had the Avatar. But, of course, all thoughts of the Avatar led back to the boy's companion and Zuko's current cellmate. After all of his thoughts managed to lead back to the Waterbender, Zuko gave up trying to otherwise occupy himself and focused on the problem at hand:

It seemed he was beginning to feel something other than hatred towards the girl he was supposed to hate. Zuko didn't know what it was, but knew that this girl already had his (admittedly reluctant) respect, and asking for anything more from him was just greedy.

_The only thing she is asking for is an apology, _noted a voice. _Perhaps if you offered her that, she may be more willing to divulge information on a certain Airbender?_

It took Zuko a moment to register that for once the voice actually seemed to be on his side. It was a new experience, and he took a second to revel in it. Then it was back to business.

_So I apologise and she'll tell me anything? _Zuko asked sceptically.

He heard the voice sigh. _You really have no idea about girls do you? _It asked, exasperated.

_You're a figment of my imagination, you're telling me _you_ do? _Zuko shot back. He wanted help from the voice, not ridicule.

_If you just apologise, then she isn't likely to trust you ever again, _the voice told Zuko, with obviously forced patience, _you need to mean the words, show her that you're truly sorry._

_And if I'm not truly sorry? _Zuko asked, somewhat hesitantly.

_Lie._ The voice replied simply. _Take a leaf out of Azula's book. So long as you seem sincere then the Waterbender will buy it._

Zuko nodded to himself in the darkness, processing what the voice had just told him. It made sense, despite coming from a disembodied voice that only he could hear.

_Hey, _noted the voice defensively, _for a disembodied voice that only you can hear, I give pretty good advice._

Zuko was forced to agree, before shutting his eyes. In the morning he would swallow his pride and apologise. Just as long as he didn't have to mean it.

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Despite her tiredness, Katara couldn't fall asleep. Thoughts were whirring around her head so fast that she could barely make sense of some of them. Mostly they consisted of wondering if Sokka, Aang, Toph and Iroh were okay, or any possible escape plans. She briefly wondered if Cai was going to help them anytime soon, but that seemed unlikely now; if he wanted to help then he would have come by now. Then there were the thoughts on Zuko. These were the most complicated of all, and these were the ones that Katara couldn't make sense of. She could never predict what he was going to do or say next, and this made him dangerous to her. She knew that she couldn't trust him, but a part of her wanted to. Katara knew that this was insane and unreasonable, but she couldn't deny it. She wanted to understand Zuko so she could know why he was angry most of the time, perhaps help him work through his issues. By nature Katara was a caring person and she was determined to help anyone who needed help. Whether they wanted it or not.

Closing her eyes once more, Katara tried to empty her mind of all thoughts and focus on sleep, but this proved to be difficult when there came a loud banging on the door. Immediately the lamps were lit and Katara could see Zuko already sitting upright, glaring at the door suspiciously.

_Seems I'm not the only one with insomnia…_Katara thought as she slowly sat up. She instinctively ran her hand down the side of her hair to ensure it was straight, then stood up.

"Stay there." Zuko warned her as the lock began to click. Katara was about to protest at this order when the door opened and there stood the smirking Dai Li agent that Zuko had punched defending Katara. Only this time, the agent had brought friends. Katara's eyes widened as she wondered what they were doing here. However, none of the men seemed to be paying attention to her. They were all glaring at Zuko, some wearing smirks that matched their group's leader.

"I told you you wouldn't get away with it." Said the lead agent. His friends laughed menacingly, but stayed behind their leader who was still in the doorway.

Katara just stood there, unsure of what to do. It all depended on Zuko's next move really. If he attacked, then so would she. There wasn't a lot of water in her pouch even though it was filled to the brim, but there may be enough to drive off six men.

"You took your time in coming back. And I notice that you didn't come alone." Zuko observed calmly. Katara didn't understand his calmness; her heart was racing right now and she was rooted to the spot. She silently begged him not to make things worse as she caught sight of a few of the men grasping daggers.

_Oh Gods…Zuko if you have _any _sense at all then you will not rise to this…_Katara thought in desperation as she tore her eyes away from the daggers to the leader in front of her.

"Are you suggesting that Akio is a coward?!" Roared a man towards the back, causing Katara to shiver. None of the men paid attention to her, except the leader (who it seemed was named Akio) who's eyes flicked towards her, a small smirk settling on his face.

"I'm suggesting that if Akio was as confident as he appears to be, then he could fight me by himself." Answered Zuko, still unfazed by any of this. He paused, then glanced to the men carrying the weapons. "I'm guessing that you're going to fight me?"

"That's the idea." Snarled Akio in reply. His gaze snapped to Katara again, the smirk growing. "Unless of course you'd rather we-"

He moved forward towards Katara, but Zuko stepped in between them, quick as lightning.

"Leave her out of this." Zuko snapped, pushing Katara backwards as he spoke. While Katara hated being the damsel in distress, she was grateful that Zuko did not want her involved. This didn't mean she wasn't going to _get_ involved; she was. But only when the time was right and she knew she wasn't about to get stabbed.

"Fine." Spat Akio, rapidly drawing a long blade from a sheath on his belt. "Then we'll settle this."

Zuko smiled slightly. "I suppose we will."

He shot forward and punched Akio with such force that Akio's head jerked towards the side. Akio's friends stood staring, transfixed, for perhaps three seconds. Then they all lunged into action so furiously, that Katara stepped back, alarmed.

_I'm a master Waterbender! I shouldn't be afraid of a few men! _Katara scolded herself, as she watched the men attack Zuko. Admittedly, he was doing very well considering the odds. Hurriedly uncorking her water pouch, Katara withdrew the water and proceeded to bend it, pushing the men backwards with the force of the water. One man slammed into the wall, rendering him momentarily incapacitated.

"Kumo, Anzai, Ryozo take care of the girl." Akio shouted over the din that had broken out along with the fight. Three men nodded and advanced menacingly on Katara, who, refusing to be beaten by three thugs, assumed her attack stance. One man (_Kumo? Or was it Ryozo? _Katara wondered briefly) saw this and faltered, looking to his companions as if for instructions. Rolling her eyes at how pathetic this man was, Katara water-whipped the men, causing them to yelp in pain and scurry back to Akio who was locked in a fight with Zuko.

Katara saw with some satisfaction (okay, a lot of satisfaction) that Akio appeared to be losing. Akio was quick, but Zuko was quicker. Every time Akio swiped the blade at Zuko, Zuko had already dodged and threw another punch. Even the remaining agents were hanging back, mixed expressions of fear and awe upon their faces. Katara saw her opening and attempted to take out the agents in one big water sweep. It didn't work. It did however alert all the agents (Akio included) to Katara's presence. The moment of distraction proved very bad for Akio, as Zuko had managed to acquire a knife, undoubtedly dropped by another agent in the scuffle.

"Get him away from the girl!" Akio screamed at his followers whilst trying to gain the advantage in his fight. The toughest-looking man remained separated from the rest of the group and advanced upon Katara. He was so large that he obstructed Katara's view of Zuko, who she needed to see to determine if he needed any help. Especially since he all of a sudden seemed surrounded by the remaining members of Akio's little gang.

"Get him outside! Anzai - the girl!" Katara heard Akio hiss and there came a great sound of movement behind the large man named Anzai in front of her. Momentarily forgetting herself, Katara shouted out "No!" and moved forward in an attempt to stop the men from taking Zuko. Of course, Anzai could not allow this to happen, and backhanded Katara across the face with such force that she fell to the stone floor, clutching her stinging cheek. But she had no time to feel pain. Akio and the other guards already had Zuko in the corridor, with Anzai not far behind them. Just as Katara was pushing herself off the floor, Anzai turned around.

"Don't worry, we'll have your _boyfriend_ back in one piece." He sneered at her. "Well, more or less." He added, before slamming the metal door shut.

Katara, having heaved herself off the floor, raced over to the door and slammed her fists upon it angrily.

_I let them go! They want to kill Zuko and they have the tools to do it…and I just let them take him! _Katara continued to beat the door at the door until her knuckles bled, and tears mixed with blood. Only then did she stop.

Unsure of what else to do, she walked around the cell, bending the water that had splashed around back into her pouch. To an outsider, it seemed that Katara was in a stupor of grief, but to Katara herself she knew she just felt guilt. Whilst it was true she shouldn't be expected to take on several men single-handedly, she knew that it was in her abilities to do so.

_If only Zuko weren't so proud, _Katara fumed, sitting down on her mattress, scowling. _He should've let me attack them the moment they came in the doorway._

It wasn't like Katara to merely give up, but that was what she had no choice but to do. She couldn't open the metal door by herself and even if she could, one backhander had sent her reeling, so what good would she be in hand-to-hand combat? Katara could only hope that, for whatever reason, Zuko would not be killed. Over the past few days she had seen another side to Zuko…one that she did not entirely hate. The notion of _not_ hating someone from the Fire Nation confused her, but she had tried to push the thought aside.

The minutes dragged by tortuously for Katara, and the only company remained her thoughts, whispering viciously of Zuko's fate, and how useless she was for not doing anything. Vivid images flashed in her mind, and Katara slammed her eyes shut in an attempt to block the scenes of brutality out. She could not bear the feeling of guilt, of knowing that another human's life could be, right at this moment, snuffed out, and all because she couldn't take a hit to the face. Even telling herself that Zuko would not allow himself to die did not work; people often did not have a choice in the matter.

For how long Katara sat there, tears creeping out under her eyelids, she did not know, but when the lock of the door clicked open, she leapt to her feet. Angrily clutching her water pouch, she withdrew the water, ready to spring an attack on whoever opened the door. Although the lock had clicked, it took unusually long to open the door. Suspiciously, Katara edged closer, raising the water high and bending it so it took on a razor blade like effect, ready to swipe at the enemy.

"Help wouldn't go amiss right now." Rasped a voice. Startled to hear the familiar voice, Katara immediately released her hold on the water and bended it back into her pouch. The door was suddenly roughly pushed open, and a single hand shoved Zuko back inside the cell, then disappeared, hurriedly slamming the door shut.

Standing still, stunned, Katara simply stared at Zuko as he turned around to glare at whoever had just pushed him.

"How did you-" Katara began, but broke off with a gasp when Zuko turned back to face her. His face was badly bleeding, and his right eye showed the makings of a terrible bruise. The source of the bleeding appeared to be several cuts scattered about his face. These cuts looked deep, but not fatal. Katara scanned him critically, not noticing a dark red stain spreading on the fabric of Zuko's clothes just above his abdomen.

Noticing her horrified look, Zuko managed a small smirk. "You think this is bad? You should see Akio."

"You didn't-" Katara started doubtfully, but Zuko cut her off.

"He's alive, just badly wounded. His pride and honour are in a worse condition however."

Every word he spoke seemed an effort, and Katara noticed that Zuko had begun to sway slightly and had turned paler than normal. A sudden stricken look passed over his face, and he moved his quivering hand over his stomach, keeping it there for perhaps four seconds. Then he slowly peeled away his hand and stared at it. Katara could see his hand from her position, and her eyes widened when she realized where the source of the blood now covering Zuko's hand had come from. _He's been stabbed…_Katara thought in a daze, as she slowly tore her eyes away to look Zuko in the eye. To Katara, the following seconds happened in slow motion.

_Zuko meeting her eyes for a fleeting moment, confusion etched onto his face…Zuko frowning and shaking violently…Zuko collapsing sideways onto the cold, stone floor…Zuko just laying there unmoving…his eyes shut…his blood dripping steadily onto the stone beneath him._

_**A/N:**_

_**Hmm, not sure about this chapter yet…it took me awhile to write, and not just because my mother has discovered the internet and has been hogging the computer :P Thank you to all my reviewers, you brighten up my day :D Please review with your thoughts on this chapter.**_

_**(Woo, the Avatar episode "Siege of the North" is on tomorrow!!!)**_


	21. The Right Thing Is Never The Easiest

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

_**A/N:**_

_**Italics are Zuko's flashbacks of the fight, starting with just before he and Katara were separated. Enjoy!**_

Katara had stood staring, unable to do anything, as Zuko had fallen to the floor. She continued standing there for a split-second, her mind numb. Then her instincts kicked in and she began to panic. Zuko was lying bleeding right in front of her and she had no idea what to do. Never remembering feeling so helpless in all her life, she desperately glanced towards the door, wondering if she called loud enough she would receive help.

_Unlikely…_Katara knew, as she glanced back to Zuko. His chest was still rising and falling, something which she noticed with immense relief. Trying desperately to remember anything that could be remotely useful in this situation, Katara closed her eyes in concentration.

"I need to stem the bleeding." Katara murmured to herself calmly. She had pushed back the feelings of pure panic in order to focus, and it seemed to be working. The only problem was that Katara could not find any material to use as a makeshift tourniquet. Realizing she would have to use either her own or Zuko's clothes as a bandage, Katara looked down at herself doubtfully. The only removable piece of clothing was her white sash that held her outer clothing together…and there was no chance she was taking that off. As Katara carried on glancing down at herself, her eyes settled on her water pouch and she almost slapped herself for being so stupid.

_Water! I can heal him! Gods, how could I forget about that?! _Katara screamed at herself, hurriedly kneeling in front of Zuko. She gingerly began to undo the buttons to his shirt, becoming very hesitant as her trembling fingers neared where she suspected his wound was. Lifting the material upwards towards the ceiling ever so gently, Katara tried not to wince as she got a little blood on her fingers. As soon as the shirt was as high as it would go, Katara swiftly unbuttoned the remaining parts of Zuko's shirt and fully opened it. Katara released a sharp intake of breath as she saw the full extent of Zuko's wound. Just as she suspected, it was just above his abdomen…which, Katara noticed, boasted well-defined muscles.

_Where did that thought come from? _Katara scolded herself; _you should be healing him, not checking him out! _She shook her head and focused on the task at hand. Whilst the wound wasn't exactly large, it was producing a lot of blood, some of which was beginning to dry. Quickly uncorking the water pouch, Katara withdrew the water and allowed it to encase her hand. Taking a deep breath, she nervously lowered her hand onto the wound. She had never attempted to heal anything like this before. At least, not with water that wasn't from a Spirit Oasis. A few seconds after the water had touched Zuko's skin, the water began to glow unearthly. Katara kept her hand there, praying that it would work; that it wasn't too late.

She could see Zuko's eyes flickering, but hoped that he would not wake up yet. The wound was taking longer than normal to heal, something that worried Katara. The water was slowly thinning, yet the injury had not completely healed. Desperately, Katara pressed down a fraction harder in the hopes that it would somehow make the water heal faster.

"That hurts." Zuko murmured, his voice faint. Katara snapped her gaze up to his face, his voice having made her jump. He appeared to be struggling to open his eyes, so contented for leaving them shut.

"I know." Katara whispered. "It won't for long."

"I don't need your help." Zuko muttered angrily. Katara shut her eyes momentarily and bit her lip to stop her from saying anything that should not be said to a man as injured as Zuko. However, she couldn't resist saying something.

"Your pride will be the death of you. Shut up and let me help." She said, trying to remain calm so that the water would not alter in any way. Leaning closer to inspect the wound, Katara could see that it was slowly closing up. However, the water was now depleting at a more rapid pace and it didn't look as though it would completely heal.

"I said I didn't need your help, peasant." Zuko spat, despite wincing in pain.

"I'm not going to sit back and watch you die." Katara hissed, although it seemed she had no choice, as the last of the remaining water vanished. Opening his eyes blearily and noticing this, Zuko smirked.

"It doesn't look as though you have a say in the matter." He said, seemingly not bothered by the prospect of death. Katara didn't respond, but knelt there trying to think of anything that would save Zuko's life. Whilst it was true that she had healed part of the injury, it would only prolong Zuko's life for perhaps a few hours unless she got more water. It looked as though Zuko had fallen unconscious again, so Katara just sat back and worried about what she would do. About what she _could_ do.

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_It had been simple enough to take on the idiot they called Akio. He looked tough but lacked discipline in his fighting techniques. Zuko could easily have bested him in a fair fight. However, Zuko had not had a proper night's sleep or a decent meal for a few days, making him weaker than normal. Still, it seemed he had the advantage in this fight, at least if the way he was very helpfully not getting stabbed was any indication. He had thrown a good few punches at Akio inside the small cell, and Akio had only been quick enough to retaliate a couple of times. Zuko's distractions were limited, as he knew that Katara could take care of herself, even though her water supply was limited. She had already driven off the men once, and seemed ready to do it again, so Zuko did not worry about her. Besides, if she could hold her own against him in a fight, then she could certainly defeat these idiots. It only bothered Zuko for a moment that he actually cared about the girl's safety, then he quickly moved back onto concentrating on the fight. After a minute there was an almighty crash of water, yet Zuko did not allow himself to look up, unlike Akio. Whilst his opponent was distracted, Zuko scanned the area for more defence and thanked the Gods when he spotted a small knife by his feet. Scooping it up and facing Akio again, he smirked. Akio looked panicked and seemed to be regretting his decision in wanting revenge._

Good_, thought Zuko, _He should know not to cross the Fire Nation. _If he didn't know already, then he would after Zuko was through with him. Akio's gaze snapped back to Zuko, then away again._

"_Get him outside!" Akio hissed to his henchmen. "Anzai - the girl!" There was a colossal movement towards Zuko and his vision was momentarily obscured. Trying to dodge the men that were charging at him, Zuko sidestepped and swerved, but eventually he was driven back. Suddenly, above the noise, Zuko heard a dull thud and saw a blue shape fall to the floor. That moment he was shoved out of the cell and thoughts concerning Katara's safety were pushed from his mind as his survival instincts kicked in. He was now surrounded by men who had the weapons to kill him, even if they didn't have the brains. Zuko quickly backed himself up against the wall next to the door to his cell so that the men could not surround him. There was a faint banging on the metal door, something which the men were quick to pick up on._

"_How sweet, the little girl wants to help you." Sneered Anzai._

"_Why don't you take a look at what she did to your friends before you call her a 'little girl' next time?" Zuko snarled, before deciding that they had done enough talking. Finally having enough room to use Firebending, Zuko clenched his fists as he felt power surge through him. It felt good, felt right to Firebend after days of having to contain it. Zuko put all of his energy and emotions into the blasts of fire that he shot at Anzai and the other men. After he had hit them all at least twice, Zuko allowed the fire to curl around his wrists like chains and once again used Katara's techniques of whipping the enemy with his element. Just as the previous times he had used it, it worked. Two men alone were knocked unconscious by the pure force of the attack, something which Zuko saw with satisfaction. The man standing closest to him decided to be a hero and charge at Zuko, smacking him across the face._

"_Stupid move." Zuko hissed, punching the man back._

"_Ryozo, do not be a fool!" Cried another man, but Ryozo ignored him and went at Zuko again, withdrawing his blade. Ryozo swiped at Zuko's face and - to Zuko's fury - managed to slash the Fire Prince's face a few times. The cuts hurt, but what stung more was the fact that he had received them in the first place. Ryozo swung at Zuko again, but this time Zuko was ready. He sidestepped the attack and brought his fist down upon the back of Ryozo's head, pressing down onto a pressure point that soon rendered his opponent unconscious. Unceremoniously throwing Ryozo aside, Zuko looked back up, blood dripping down his face._

"_Anybody else feeling brave?" He asked dangerously, glaring at each man. There were now only three men left, and one of these was Anzai who was looking more and more nervous. The other two men were glancing uneasily at each other, and up and down the corridor, clearly wondering if they could escape unharmed._

_Smirking, Zuko punched downwards, so that daggers of fire appeared in his hands. He had used these before on Azula to no success, but these men were prodigies in nothing, let alone Firebending._

_Anzai's two friends moved beside him, either to protect him or for protection themselves. Deciding this was too easy, Zuko leapt forward and struck the two men with the fire daggers, incapacitating them with one move. They were not dead, but would wake up with very harsh burns. The only problem with this move was that it left Zuko open to attack, something which Anzai noticed quickly. Wasting no time, he thrust his fist forwards into Zuko's stomach. Pain shattered Zuko's world and he considered falling down and screaming, but he refused to let this scum win. Assuming he had merely been punched, Zuko scolded himself for being defeated so easily. Gritting his teeth, he managed a smirk._

"_You should've brought more friends." He spat, before lashing out at Anzai with as much energy as he could muster. Anzai was thrown back as the fire encased him, his body slamming against the wall. Fire licked at his skin as Anzai screamed in agony._

_Zuko was many things, but he was no Azula. Throwing his hands down sharply, the fire fell away from Anzai, who was still screaming. Zuko attempted to move toward the man now cowering on the floor, but found movement difficult. His stomach had once again exploded in pain, and he winced before taking a deep breath. He tried once more to move, but was this time stopped by a rough hand on his shoulder. It was one of Anzai's men, looking menacing._

"_Don't expect to live long." The man spat, producing a key and unlocking the door. He pushed Zuko forward, pointing towards the door. Understanding, Zuko pressed on the door but found that it would only open a crack, then go no further._

"_Help wouldn't go amiss right now." He told the man, his voice suddenly dry. The man sighed in frustration and opened the door as easily as if it were made of cotton._

What's wrong with me? _Zuko wondered, _I should be able to open a door for Agni's sake!

_The man roughly shoved him inside then slammed the door. Zuko turned around to glare at the closed door, wishing that he could face the man when he (Zuko) was at full power and it was sunrise. That would show them all…_

"_How did you-" Katara started in wonder, before breaking off. Turning back around to where he knew Katara was standing, he saw her staring at him in horror. There was silence for a few moments, as the world began to swim in front of Zuko's eyes. Shaking his head, Zuko attempted a smirk, although now everything in his body ached and even speaking was becoming a tremendous effort._

"_You think this is bad?" He asked, trying to lighten the moment. "You should see Akio."_

_His words did not have the desired effect however, as Katara's eyes widened._

"_You didn't-"_

"_He's alive." Zuko cut her off. "Just badly wounded. His pride and honour are in a worse condition, however."_

_Once again the world became hazy, and even shaking his head did not make his vision right. A sweat had broken out on his forehead, even though he felt cold. Zuko didn't understand why he felt this way…until he remembered Anzai's earlier attack on him. Zuko slowly placed his hand over where Anzai had punched him, and felt an odd wetness there instead of fabric. Slowly peeling his hand away, Zuko saw shimmering, bright red blood covering his pale hand._

He didn't punch me…_Zuko thought with dawning realization. _He stabbed me…

_Zuko looked up to see Katara staring back at him, her mouth open in shock and her cerulean eyes panicky. Zuko frowned as he felt his legs give way, and he collapsed. He barely felt his head crash onto the floor as he became enveloped by unconsciousness._

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Two hours had passed since Zuko had last been conscious, and Katara became increasingly more worried with every passing minute. If she didn't do something soon, Zuko would die and she would never forgive herself. She had already gently tore away the fabric of his shirt and cleaned away the blood around the wound, grateful that no more blood was emerging.

"If Sokka could see me now…" Katara murmured, disposing of the latest blood-filled piece of material by throwing it on the floor behind her. She thought about what she just said and smiled. "He'd probably still find a way to make it all your fault…like you were forcing me to heal you or something ridiculous."

"Your brother is an idiot." Croaked Zuko, his eyes remaining shut. Katara hadn't realized he was awake, but she smiled nonetheless.

"I know." She nodded, before sitting back and scanning Zuko's stab wound critically.

"Does it hurt?" She asked, although she knew it was a stupid question.

However, Zuko answered truthfully and did not make fun of her ignorance, as she had expected him to.

"Not as much as it did earlier. Thank you for…healing me. You didn't have to. I didn't want you to."

"I couldn't just let you die. I had to help you. It was the right thing to do." Katara explained, looking away momentarily.

There was a pause, then: "Don't you ever get tired of doing the right thing?" Zuko asked unexpectedly. Katara looked at him sharply but said nothing, not wanting to tell him her honest answer.

"You should save your energy." She told him shortly. "Try and get comfortable."

"I'm stuck on my back on a cold stone floor with no shirt on. I'd like to see _you_ try and get comfortable in my position." Zuko grumbled, but closed his eyes anyway.

After silence had settled in and she knew that Zuko was asleep, Katara answered his earlier question.

"Sometimes." She replied softly. "Sometimes I get tired of doing the right thing." Katara sighed and then began to talk, saying things she had been waiting to say to someone, be they awake or not.

"Sometimes I ask myself why doing the right thing is so hard. I don't understand why the right thing to do is never the easiest. But then I look around at what the world is quickly becoming and I realize something."

Katara paused and took a steadying breath to try to calm herself down, but knew that there was one last thing she had to say before she could.

"I realize that the world is filled with people doing the wrong thing and I know what the consequences of that are. And I don't want to end up like that. So, yes. Sometimes I get tired of doing the right thing. But I will _never_ stop doing it."

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Zuko lay there, his eyes remaining closed, listening to the girl rant. He understood where she was coming from, even though her words were probably inspired by emotions and such. People normally referred to doing the right thing as if it were easy, but Zuko knew better. Every time he tried doing the right thing, something went wrong and somebody got hurt. Since the same thing happened when Zuko did not try doing the right thing, he just eventually figured that doing the wrong thing would ultimately be easier. But it seemed nothing in life was easy for him.

_No one said life would be easy…_Zuko reminded himself firmly. Another, softer voice replied back, _but no one said it would be hard either._

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Katara sat, deep in thought, for a few more minutes. She was so deep in concentration that she did not register the lock clicking and the door being pushed open frantically.

"Katara?" Cai asked worriedly. "Some agents were saying-" He broke off when he noticed Zuko. "Oh my Gods…"

"Yeah, say that for a couple more hours and you might be in the state of panic that I'm currently in." Katara said, despite her words sounding calm. She stood up and faced Cai, seeing with immense relief and gratitude that he had brought a large jug, filled to the top with shining liquid. Her eyes quickly darted to Cai, filled with hope.

"You're a healer, right?" Cai asked, handing her the jug.

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_**A/N:**_

_**Well, I updated sooner! Hope this was a satisfactory chapter for everyone, I just wanted Katara to have a mini-rant and get things off her chest. I guess it's Cai to the rescue again, lol. Thank you for the reviews, you cheered me up. I was feeling pretty down…y'know, boy stuff (as in I like a boy and don't know if he likes me back). But you all made me feel better:D Don't forget to review this chapter, lift my mood even more lol (nothing like a little emotional blackmail to get people motivated :P)**_


	22. Sincere Apologies

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

It didn't take long to use up the water that Cai had brought. Despite this, Zuko's stab wound would not fully heal, something that troubled both Katara and Cai immensely. Cai suggested that the knife had been dipped in poison, but Zuko (being conscious and lucid at this point) immediately dismissed this idea, stating that the men who attacked him were too stupid to think of that. Forced to agree, Cai began speculating once more. Katara didn't listen to Cai's theories, just concentrated on getting Zuko better, even though she was exhausted. As the last of the water supply ran out, Katara wearily handed the jug to Cai, murmuring her thanks.

"I'll get some more." Cai said, taking the jug and standing up. "You should get some rest, Katara."

Katara didn't reply, but gave a non-committal tilt of her head. How could she sleep? Whilst it was true that Zuko was more comfortable (Cai had insisted they move Zuko to his mattress, something which Katara had done much to her and Zuko's reluctance), what if something happened? He was almost fully healed, but what if he took a turn for a worse? What if he died?

As she was thinking this, Cai just looked at her and walked out, shaking his head and muttering. Ignoring him, Katara stifled a yawn and sat back against the wall, enjoying the temporary rest. Healing took a lot of effort, especially with an injury such as this, and Katara hadn't rested once yet. She shut her eyes…but just for a moment. Or so she told herself.

"You really should get some rest." Zuko told her, breaking the short silence. Katara opened her eyes, hating the heavy feeling and the strain on her eyelids.

"I can't." She replied, standing up. Her legs felt as though they would collapse any minute, so she sat back down on the edge of Zuko's mattress.

"What if I died because you were too tired to heal me?" Zuko asked, playing on something that he knew that Waterbender would respond to. However, Katara just shook her head.

"And what if you died because I was asleep, so I couldn't heal you?" She asked back, quite proud of herself for thinking up this argument whilst she was so tired. Zuko rolled his eyes, wondering why the girl had to be so stubborn.

"Just go to sleep." He said through gritted teeth. "If you're that worried about me, then sleep on my mattress."

"What?" Katara asked, eyebrows slowly rising.

_What!? _Zuko asked himself. _Where did that come from? Quick, think of something else to say!_

"If I feel like I'm going to die then I can…kick you or something. It would wake you up and you could heal me." Zuko said, hoping he sounded nonchalant. When Katara didn't reply, Zuko added lightly, "Just a suggestion."

After a moment, Katara sighed and shrugged her shoulders, relenting. "Fine." She was too tired to argue properly, and Zuko's plan did make sense, even if it didn't appeal to her. She just thanked the Gods that Cai had brought Zuko another shirt to replace the bloodied one.

She lay down at the edge of the mattress, as far away from Zuko as she could get without falling off. Zuko noticed this and rolled his eyes.

"Try anything and I'll kill you myself." Katara told him, closing her eyes.

Zuko laughed scornfully. "You have nothing to worry about, trust me."

"The last time I trusted you, someone I care about ended up dead." Katara whispered, but just loud enough so Zuko could hear. She turned away from Zuko and allowed sleep to wash over her, embracing the idea of not having to worry about anything for a few hours.

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In all honesty, Zuko had expected a jibe from the girl when he had mentioned trust. He hadn't said it intentionally, it just sort of…slipped out. What he hadn't expected, however, was the hurt in her quiet voice when she replied. Normally whenever he brought up the subject of what had happened (intentionally or not) a shouting match would ensue. But it was as though now the girl was too tired to pretend anymore that what had happened hadn't upset her.

_Speaking of tired…_Zuko thought, his eyes drifting shut once more. He hated being like this, helpless and having to rely on others, but he had no choice. Every few hours sleep would overpower him and he had no choice but to submit, however grudgingly. His injury stung from time to time, but since Katara had attempted to heal it every hour or so it didn't hurt anywhere near as much as it did. Just before Zuko allowed sleep to overcome him, he wondered briefly why the Waterbender was helping him.

_Maybe she doesn't hate me as much as she pretends to…_

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Staggering along the corridors, Cai was careful not to arouse too much suspicion amongst his fellow agents. Well, as little suspicion as was possible when he was carrying around a large jug filled with water that was by no means light. When Cai had first heard about the Fire Prince's fight, his initial reaction was: _so what?_ But as the fight had been described in more detail, Cai felt the urge to help in any way he could. It was true that Prince Zuko was related to the bitch that had killed Cai's father, but Cai supposed that people couldn't help who they were related to.

_After all, look at the boy's uncle, _Cai thought, staggering down the corridor with the jug, _I've never met a nicer man…even if he is Fire Nation. _Meeting with General Iroh was another thing that influenced Cai's decision to help the Fire Prince. Although Iroh was understandably angry and upset at his nephew, Cai could tell by the way he talked that he still cared about the boy a great deal.

It had taken Cai awhile to figure out how he could help Zuko. Then he remembered that the girl - Katara - was a Waterbender, and would help her cell mate.

_That is, if she hasn't killed him already, _Cai mused, arriving outside their cell. Carefully setting the jug down, Cai retrieved the key from his pocket and unlocked the door. Placing the key back and picking up the jug, Cai nudged the door open with his foot and walked inside.

The girl was on Zuko's mattress, facing him in her sleep, her head nestled on his chest. The Fire Prince himself was sleeping also, his head slightly turned to the Waterbender. Placing the jug down just outside the door, Cai couldn't help but smirk.

_Wait until Iroh hears about this…_he thought, closing the door gently so as not to wake the sleeping couple.

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Katara woke feeling well-rested and better than she had in a while. She didn't open her eyes, enjoying the warmth around her. In her sleepy state she didn't bother to wonder why she felt warm in a normally cold dungeon cell, she just enjoyed the feeling. For once there had been no bad dreams, or no worrying plaguing her sleep, and even troubled thoughts of her brother and Aang did not surface. In fact, it took Katara perhaps half a minute to register that something was different. Her head was at an odd angle, and on some sort of fabric. Her knees were brought halfway up to her chest in a position that was very comfortable. In fact, she might never have moved had a somewhat amused voice not interrupted her calmness.

"What are you doing?"

Katara's eyes shot open immediately. They widened as she realized her current position: using Zuko's chest as a pillow as he smirked down at her. She must've rolled over in her sleep…only instead of falling off the mattress she just _had_ to have rolled the other way, closer to Zuko.

"Comfortable?" He asked, noticing her eyes widening. Katara quickly rolled over and stood up, the weariness she felt at waking up now gone. She opened her mouth, about to shout and scream at Zuko, but he held up a hand.

"Before you blame all this on me, I'd like to point out that it was _you_ lying on _me_." He said smugly, pushing himself up and ignoring the faint pain in his stomach. Katara was about to argue against this, but then realized he was right. Not that she would admit it out loud. Ever. So she shut her mouth, instead settling for shooting killer glares at Zuko.

"How're you feeling?" Katara asked after the urge to hit Zuko had subsided. She sat back down on her own mattress, but it felt distinctly colder than her previous resting place, something which she noticed with annoyance.

"Like I've been stabbed." Zuko replied dryly. Katara rolled her eyes and stood back up, throwing up her arms.

"I don't know why I bother trying to be concerned, you just-" She trailed off however when she noticed the filled water jug sat by the door. Her eyes shut momentarily in embarrassment. Cai must've seen her and Zuko and probably jumped to the completely wrong conclusion…_Oh Gods_.

"I just…?" Zuko prompted, but Katara ignored him. She didn't know what she had been about to say now anyway, but it had no doubt been something insulting.

"It doesn't matter." She told him. "Do you need healing or not?"

As soon as she said it, Katara realized it was a stupid question. Zuko wouldn't accept her help willingly even if he was hanging onto life by a thread. He was just too proud. So instead of waiting for an answer, Katara walked in front of the large jug and concentrated on the liquid inside it. She steadied her hands over it and rose them so the water followed, shimmering as it went. Slowly walking over to Zuko's mattress, Katara formed the water into a ball so it was easier to transport. Her eyes focused on the water, she addressed Zuko.

"Take off your shirt." She ordered, transfixed by the liquid. Zuko didn't argue (something which surprised Katara) but muttered to himself:

"Fine. Try anything and I'll kill you myself."

He was mocking her. She was trying to help and he was mocking her. Rolling her eyes and making a sound of disgust, Katara _accidentally _bended the water…all over Zuko's head. She couldn't keep the triumphant smile from her lips as Zuko registered what she had just done and glared at her, his hair dripping.

"Whoops." Katara said icily, the smile turning into a smirk. However, seeing Zuko sitting there sodden made her feel guilty, especially as he was in no position to fight back without risking his injury worsening. Sighing, Katara motioned for the water to act in reverse, retreating from Zuko and staying in the air waiting for Katara's next command.

"Are you going to attempt to heal me or are you just going to stand there?" Zuko asked after a minute. Surprised, Katara nodded and moved forward. Honestly, she had been expecting Zuko to shout at her, perhaps insult her a couple more times. She sat at the edge of the mattress and looked at his wound.

"It looks better. I'm not sure why it hasn't fully healed up yet, but it will soon." She told him, water encasing her hand as Zuko lay back down on the mattress. Placing her hand gently over his stomach, Katara watched as the water shone brightly and the wound closed up a little more. Zuko winced, although tried not to let his pain show.

"If your brother came in now…" He said, gritting his teeth against the sharp stinging. Katara smiled slightly.

"Then I'd be free and you'd be dead." She said, taking away her hand and inspecting the wound some more.

"He'd kill me for being healed?" Zuko asked, sitting back up once the pain had subsided.

"He'd kill you for everything you've put us through for the past few months." Katara said lightly, although there was a harsher undertone to her words. She stood up and made her way back to her own mattress.

Zuko looked away for a moment, ashamed to admit to himself that Katara was probably right. Then, remembering what his conscience (or whatever the voice was supposed to be) had told him before he had gotten stabbed, Zuko looked back up.

"I'm sorry." He said suddenly. "For siding with Azula."

Katara stopped dead in her tracks and slowly turned to face Zuko, her forehead creased in confusion.

"It was stupid and…I'm sorry." Zuko continued, ignoring his pride. Katara was speechless for a moment. She had never expected Zuko to tell her that he regretted something, much less something on this scale. She soon found her tongue however, and it was a sceptic one.

"If it was stupid then why did you do it?" She asked.

"I said it was stupid, I didn't say it was wrong." He replied before he could stop himself, then immediately regretted it when he saw Katara's face. _For the third and final time:_

"I'm sorry." He murmured. "For hurting you."

For a long time Katara didn't respond. She sat back on her own mattress and frowned at the floor for awhile. Just as Zuko had given up hope, she spoke softly.

"Do you mean it? Are you sorry?"

Getting tired of repeating himself, Zuko just nodded and replied 'yes'. Katara gave him a small smile and turned away as he fastened his shirt back up.

_Does he mean it? _She wondered. _Probably not._ But, the more she thought about the Zuko she had grown to know and…not feel hatred for, the more Katara knew that it was possible he was sincere.

"Thank you." She said to him, smiling at him again. "If you mean it, then that means a lot." She stood up and walked, stopping just in front of Zuko's mattress, sitting on the floor facing him.

"That agent will be back soon. You should ask if he can get us something to eat that doesn't taste like it spend three months in a sewer." Zuko told Katara, unsure of why she was sitting in front of him instead of on her own mattress.

"Why should I be the one to do it?" Katara asked indignantly. If Zuko replied _because you're a girl_ then she would hit him, stab wound or no.

"Because you know his name?" Zuko suggested. Katara shrugged as if to say 'good point'.

"You're not planning on sitting there all day are you?" Zuko asked, moving aside slightly to allow Katara some space on his mattress. She stood up gratefully and sat down next to him, pleased that he would show at least a little consideration towards her. A sly smile spread across her face.

"You know, I'm not the only one you need to apologize to. There's Aang, your uncle, Sokka-"

"Don't push it." Zuko told her, smiling despite himself.

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_**A/N:**_

**_Well, here's the latest chapter, hope you enjoyed! Thanks for the reviews, please leave one on your way out! And thanks to Shirozora for the advice :D_**


	23. Almost

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

Azula sat on her throne, bored. She had already examined her nails several times and found that there was nothing to do in this palace. She had debated calling in a member of the Dai Li to fight with, but decided it not worth the effort. After all, no mere Earthbender could hold their own against Fire Nation Princess Azula and it would be a pathetic fight. No, what Azula needed was a challenge. Fighting the Water Tribe girl and the Avatar had been interesting, though Azula was momentarily shocked that a Water Tribe peasant could survive fighting the Princess.

_She's evidently a fair match for Zuzu…then again he always was weak, _Azula thought distastefully. _Speaking of which, I wonder how they__'re getting on…I'm surprised my brother hasn't been killed yet._

Azula smiled coldly. She enjoyed the thought of how much discomfort the Waterbender and Zuko would have suffered just being in each others company. Azula, although busy fighting the Avatar at that point, had nonetheless noticed the expression on the girl's face when she and Zuko were fighting. There was anger, a lot of anger, there. But there was also pain, sadness and confusion. Oh yes. Azula had seen. And she had lost all respect she had ever had for the Waterbender. Which, in truth, had been zero. But watching the girl display her emotions so openly had disgusted Azula. Did this girl not know that emotions were weakness? Apparently not. Azula had half-expected Zuko to go soft when he saw how his actions had affected the Water Tribe girl, but he did not. In a move that had made Azula rather proud to call him her brother, Zuko had double-crossed everyone and attacked those that had offered help. True, it had taken the combined attacks of Zuko and Azula to bring the girl down, but Zuko had fought the girl more beforehand. If only he hadn't looked so guilty afterwards…that might've convinced Azula fully that Zuko had changed. But it would take some more work to get rid of that pesky conscience of his, and betraying the Water Tribe girl _again_ should accomplish this.

Azula had been waiting impatiently for the past day or two for more news on how her brother was doing with the girl. He should have gotten at least _some_ information out of her by now. Still, these things took time. Impatience would get Azula exactly nowhere, something she had learnt from a long time ago. But still, it was infuriating knowing that the Avatar was out there, incredibly weak and unprotected. At first, Azula was shocked to learn that her lightning blast had not killed the Avatar, but she later supposed it was a good thing. After all, the Avatar was no use dead, as another one would immediately replace him and the whole search and capture cycle would start all over.

There was a slight knock at the door before Ty Lee came bounding in, a large smile on her face. Mai followed, much more restrained and depressed than her friend. They made their way to the front, pausing to bow before Azula.

"Azula!" Ty Lee shrieked at such a high pitch that both Azula and Mai winced a little. After recovering, Azula raised an eyebrow at Mai, who shrugged back.

"You'll never guess what!" Ty Lee grinned at the Princess, who hoped that she wouldn't actually have to guess what the news was. Knowing Ty Lee it could be anything between knowing where the Avatar was to knowing what they were having for dinner that night.

"Zuko got stabbed." Mai cut in, monotonously.

"You ruined the surprise." Ty Lee said, pouting at her gothic friend. She soon stopped however to see Azula's reaction to this news, as did Mai. Azula wasn't sure how to react. Her immediate thought was that if Zuko were dead then her plan would be ruined and she wouldn't get the information she needed out of the Waterbender…for a while anyway.

"Oh?" Azula asked, not quite as uninterested as she pretended to be.

"Yeah." Ty Lee said, nodding emphatically. "But the Waterbender is healing him!"

This news made Azula stand up sharply. "What?" She hissed, so venomously that her friends actually took a step back. "You let the girl have access to water?"

"_We_ didn't." Mai replied, defensively. "Some Dai Li agent did."

"And you let him?" Azula asked, trying to regain her cool and failing, the fresh blasts of anger she felt evident through her voice.

"Hey, this isn't our fault." Mai shot back. "We only just found out about it."

Azula ignored the way Mai was speaking to her for now. She was focused more on the fact that an opponent now had access to a weapon that she could use to escape. Sitting down carefully, Azula said nothing for a few moments. She was mulling over all possibilities. On the one hand, she needed Zuko to be alive for him to get the information they needed. On the other, giving the girl water could prove a deadly mistake.

"I want you to find out who the Dai Li agent who has betrayed me is. But go no further. I need my brother to be well for my plan to work, and if that means giving the Water Tribe peasant water, so be it." Azula said finally and decisively. There was a command to her voice that she knew none would question. None who wanted to live anyway.

Mai and Ty Lee nodded, bowed and wordlessly left the room, leaving Azula to think more of her plans after Zuko got the Avatar's whereabouts.

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"So how did you find the Avatar?" Zuko asked, after perhaps an hour of small-talk. After seeing Katara's expression, he hastily added, "You don't have to tell me."

Katara paused, thinking of any possible consequences that telling Zuko what he wanted to know could be. When she didn't come up with any, she smiled at him.

"Why wouldn't I tell you?" She asked, and then proceeded to let Zuko know how she and Sokka had found Aang, not missing out any of the parts where Sokka was being a jerk. "…and then Aang asked if I'd go penguin sledding with him."

"Penguin sledding?" Zuko repeated, his eyebrows raised. "I don't want to know."

"Why not?" Katara asked, smiling brightly. "It's fun."

"I didn't have time for fun in the Fire Nation. Let alone penguin sledding." Zuko replied, briefly wondering what it would have been like to have a normal childhood.

"Well, to go penguin sledding requires a penguin to sled on. And I'm guessing there weren't any penguins in the hottest place in the world?" Katara asked with a laugh.

"The lack of penguins would be an issue." Zuko agreed, a small smile on his lips again. "But then so would the lack of law stating we were allowed to have fun."

"There was a law saying you couldn't have fun? Somehow I doubt that." Katara told him, her own eyebrows raising.

"Well it was more of an unwritten rule. And it was for members of the Royal Family only." Zuko said, his tone becoming harsher. Sensing she was approaching a touchy subject, Katara tried to think of something else to say.

"If you wanted, I could show you how to penguin sled if you came to the South Pole. If you wanted. And if you weren't there to attack us. If you wanted." Katara said. _Stop saying __"if you wanted"! _She silently shouted at herself. _It makes you sound like a repetitive moron!_

"Maybe I would want to." Zuko shrugged, hoping he sounded nonchalant "But no penguin sledding."

"Well then why else would you want to come?" Katara asked, smiling although she was confused. The smile quickly vanished to be replaced by a frown of mock-suspicion. "You aren't going to attack us again, are you?"

Zuko smiled but said nothing in reply, except: "Maybe I'd come to see you."

Katara didn't know how to reply to that one. In truth, she was blindsided by his reply and looked away. Noticing this (and feeling like the world's biggest idiot) Zuko quickly added something.

"Or maybe I could go penguin sledding."

Katara looked back at Zuko to see his eyes downcast and his faced turned away.

"I don't see why you can't do both" Katara said, smiling softly. "But we should probably wait until the war is over until we make arrangements. Although I think all penguins will be extinct by that time rolls around."

Zuko looked over at her, confused. "You don't think the war will be over soon?" He asked.

"It was a joke." Katara replied, feeling stupid that she hadn't properly conveyed this message. "Aang will defeat the Fire Lord."

Zuko didn't know if it was the confidence in her tone or the person whom she was talking about, but he suddenly felt angry.

"And do you really think that Azula will allow that to happen?" He asked spitefully.

"I don't think she'll have a choice." Katara replied slowly, confused at Zuko's sudden antagonism towards her.

"You underestimate my sister." Zuko said quietly. "And you underestimate my father." He turned his head away from Katara, so that his scar was hidden.

"Okay, I get it. Family is off-limits. I'm sorry I brought it up." Katara said, standing up in order to get away from the sudden feeling of awkwardness that had washed over her. She was about to walk to her mattress when she paused and turned around.

"Zuko…how did you get your scar?" She asked, hesitantly. She knew she shouldn't be asking something so personal, yet each time Zuko mentioned his father (which wasn't often) he would subconsciously either touch his scar or turn the left side of his face away from the nearest person. Knowing that there was a strong possibility Zuko wouldn't answer, or perhaps tell her it was none of her business, Katara figured she may as well try to find out. Zuko turned to Katara sharply and looked at her, his eyes piercing. There was something in his glare that made Katara want to shrink away, but she refused to let herself. She had merely asked a question, and shouldn't be made to feel guilty about it. After a few more seconds of being glared at however, she quickly changed her mind.

"You don't have to-"

"Three years ago, when I still lived in the Fire Nation I was allowed into the War Rooms. It was my first time in but I knew the rules. I was not to speak out of place as it would be disrespectful." Zuko started, his voice calm, but his fists betraying his feelings by being slightly clenched. "The General of the Fire Navy was telling of his plans to send in new recruits for battle, knowing full well they would be killed. Even though their deaths would have benefited the Fire Nation, I spoke out against it."

Zuko took a breath, his eyes still cold and seemingly emotionless yet his fists clenching ever tighter. Katara was half-sure where this was going, but she carried on listening.

"I spoke out of turn. I had to pay for my mistake and I did. An Agni Kai with the one whom I had challenged. An Agni Kai is a Firebending duel." Zuko added, seeing Katara's expression of confusion. When she nodded in understanding, he carried on. "I was willing to fight the General, who I had spoken against. But I had spoken out of turn in my father's War Rooms, so it would be him I was to fight." Zuko paused uncertainly for the first time, breaking the eye contact he had so well maintained with Katara.

"I refused to fight my father. In front of all the important people in Government and such in the Fire Nation, I refused to fight. But I had to learn respect. And suffering was to be my teacher." Zuko traced the outline of his scar gently with his fingertip. "That day I was banished from the Fire Nation, only allowed return if I had the Avatar."

Katara stood there, horrified and on the edge of tears. She gazed down at Zuko for a few moments, going over everything he had just told her. Surely she had gotten something wrong. No man, not even the Fire Lord, would burn his own son. It was inhumane.

"Zuko…I -" Katara began, not quite sure what she was going to say.

"I don't want your pity." Zuko told her sharply.

"You don't have my pity." Katara replied, sitting back down next to Zuko. "You have my respect."

Zuko turned to her and stared at her in disbelief, not sure what she was saying exactly. Whenever he had imagined telling anyone the story behind his scar, he had expected them to react with sympathy, something which he hated. That was the primary reason he had never told anyone. Pride was high on the list as well, but it was mainly a sympathy thing.

"You spoke out of turn for something that you knew was wrong. You didn't want to just sit back and let maybe hundreds of men be condemned to death just so the Fire Nation could have more land, or whatever pathetic excuse they were using. Speaking your mind when it matters is important. It's the sign of a great leader." Katara told him, truly meaning what she was saying. She had never thought that Zuko could have received his scar in such a way, but felt closer to him now she knew. "You're brave and…more or less honourable, no matter what your father may think."

"It does matter what my father thinks when he is the one my honour depends on." Zuko said, looking down so he would not have to meet Katara's eyes after her little speech.

"Honour depends on how you act, not on what your father says." Katara said, still looking intently at him. "And that's what your scar represents. Honour and courage."

Zuko was silent for several minutes. Katara didn't know what was going through his mind, and frankly she didn't want to know. Only Zuko could call the shots on his honour, no matter what Katara said.

In the contemplative silence, Katara felt a little better knowing that Zuko had a solid reason for chasing them for as long as he had. At least he wasn't being a jerk. Well, at least he wasn't _just_ being a jerk. Honour was something Katara didn't really understand, so she guessed it must be a male thing. _Or maybe honour is just one of those things you don't know you have until it's gone…_Katara thought, glancing back at Zuko.

"Do you still think you can regain your honour by capturing Aang? I mean, the Avatar?" Katara asked, knowing that whatever relationship she currently had with Zuko would hinge on this answer. Zuko did not reply for a long time, meanwhile Katara waited with bated breath.

"I think," Zuko said finally and carefully, "That if my father wanted me back he would have allowed me home, Avatar or no Avatar." Katara didn't know this, but Zuko was repeating something Zhao had told him a few months previously.

Katara nodded, silently grateful that Zuko thought this. She briefly wondered that if he thought this, then why would he have sided with Azula, but quickly pushed the thought aside, not wanting to ruin the moment.

Zuko looked up at Katara suddenly. "You're the first…I haven't told anyone else about my scar. If - _when_ we get out of here…"

"I'll keep it quiet." Katara told him, giving him a small smile. "Why haven't you told anyone else?"

_Good question, _Zuko thought. _Why did I tell her?_ He thought over all the reasons that had made him want to confide in Katara, like her smile and how she talked to him, and tried to put them into speech.

"I suppose that you're the first person who I felt close enough to tell." Zuko said, before frowning and adding, "I mean-"

"I know what you mean." Katara said, laughing at his discomfort. For a guy with anger issues, Zuko wasn't too good at displaying his other emotions, whatever they currently were. The laugh faded from her face as she thought of another question to ask Zuko; something she had been wondering about for awhile now.

"What happened to your mother?" She asked quietly. She remembered back in the catacombs when she had been sobbing, telling him that the Fire Nation had taken her mother away from her. Zuko had replied that he was sorry…and that they had something in common. Ever since Katara had thought about what that could mean. Considering Zuko's mother must have been Fire Nation, why would a country kill their own Fire Lady?

Katara knew she had asked to intimate a question when Zuko looked away and stood up, heading towards the door and stopping next to the jug of water Cai had brought. Inwardly wincing at her mistake, Katara was about to call after Zuko when he replied, his back to her.

"I don't know." He replied softly. Soft not being Zuko's normal tone, Katara was quite taken aback momentarily. She quickly got over it and watched as Zuko took a swig from the jug. It seemed he was almost back to full-strength, as the jug wasn't light.

"My mother disappeared a couple of years before I was banished. I don't know what happened to her; if she's alive or…" He trailed off, still not turning around. Unsure what to say, Katara tried to respond positively.

"I'm sure she's alive." She said confidently. When Zuko finally turned around questioningly, Katara smiled. "You have a - sometimes admittedly annoying - tendency to not give up. It must be a family trait, because it seems like Azula has it as well. I don't know what your mother was like, but if she was anything like your father-"

"She wasn't." Zuko interrupted. He sat back down next to Katara, albeit closer than he had before, something which Katara noticed, but didn't move away from or object. "She was everything a member of the Fire Nation Royal Family shouldn't be. She was considerate and caring and maternal. Everything a parent should be."

Katara mulled this over. _That must be where his half-decent side comes from, _she mused. _So, where he drew the short straw on father and sister, he got lucky on who his mother and uncle were…_

Acting on impulse, Katara lowered her head so it was resting on Zuko's shoulder. Normally she would not have done so rash a thing, but it felt right somehow after Zuko had shared some of his past with her.

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Although initially surprised at the girl's action, Zuko did not protest to her resting her head. He allowed himself a smile, but only because he knew she couldn't see him. Katara hadn't reacted at all in the way he had expected her to when she learned of his past. She had handled it pretty much the way she handled everything; with understanding and kind words. Okay, her mild attempts at humour had been pretty weak, but apart from that…

Without warning, Katara looked to him, her head tilting upwards. Seeing her about to say something, Zuko looked down towards her. As soon as he did he realized how close he was to her right now. Katara must have noticed it too (it's hard not to notice when you're practically touching noses with someone) but she did not pull away or give any indication she was uncomfortable. She cleared her throat softly.

"Zuko-" She began to whisper. There was a scraping noise and the door opened, causing Zuko and Katara to leap apart, to the furthest part of the mattress they could get from one another.

Cai entered, a sly grin on his face. "Woken up, have we?" He asked, the amusement in his voice evident.

For once, Zuko and Katara were thinking the same thing:

_This guy has really bad timing…_

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_**A/N:**_

_**Heh, bet you're thinking the same thing as Zuko and Katara :P**_

_**I was originally going to have this chapter a lot longer, but last minute (and I mean last minute) I decided to split this original chapter into two chapters. I'm going to Italy to see my dad tomorrow (yeah, he lives there) so I won't be able to update until either next Monday or Tuesday…**_

**_Anyhoo, hope you enjoyed this chapter,_** **_as ever reviews are much appreciated, so thanks to my reviewers. Please leave a review on your way out, and everyone have a good week! D_**


	24. Broken

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

"Woken up, have we?" Cai asked, a mischievous grin on his face. Katara felt herself flush at his question, and did not dare look at Zuko. They were sitting as far apart as was possible on his mattress without falling off, which probably looked more conspicuous than the position they were in when Cai walked in. Zuko stood up, seemingly unperturbed by Cai's observation. However, it appeared he couldn't resist jibing the agent.

"You're sharp. I now see why you're a Dai Li agent." His sarcastic voice was light, but Katara knew (okay, hoped) that he was just as annoyed as she was at Cai's interruption.

_Interruption of what? _Katara silently asked herself. _What would've happened had Cai not come? _The answer was obvious, but admitting it to herself would be like admitting she wanted it to happen. Which, truth be told, she did. Was that wrong? _Of course it's wrong, you idiot. Were you _there_ when he sided with his sister? _A voice hissed. Katara almost rolled her eyes. Her sensible side, the side that made most of the decisions, was shining through. But for once, Katara ignored it. There were some decisions she had to make with her heart, not her head. And her heart was screaming _"Go for it!"_.

Standing up, Katara saw Cai adopting the "don't shoot" stance, his hands up and palms facing outwards, although the large grin on his face showed that he did not consider himself in any danger. A stupid thing to think, considering a muscle in Zuko's jaw was twitching, a sure sign he was annoyed.

"No need to get defensive." Cai chortled, unaware of Zuko's growing anger. More fool him.

"I have a reason to get defensive?" Zuko asked icily, almost daring Cai to suggest something. Cai finally noticed Zuko's expression and tone of voice, and the grin slowly slipped from his face, replaced by raised eyebrows.

"You tell me." While Cai spoke, he very obviously looked at Katara, before turning back to Zuko.

Katara's embarrassment faded and instead anger took its place.

"I am in the room, you know." She snapped at Cai, before stepping between him and Zuko, who were glaring daggers at one another. "Was there something you wanted?"

Cai reluctantly dragged his glare away from Zuko to rest his eyes on Katara.

"Yes. I've found a way to get out of the palace." He told her, obviously doing his best to ignore the death-vibe radiating from Zuko.

At Cai's words, Katara's eyes widened a little, but her brow furrowed in confusion.

"I thought you said you only knew a way out of the city?" She asked, in a somewhat suspicious tone.

"I did. But after some more thinking I've figured it out." Cai said nonchalantly. "I can get you out in two days."

"Why not sooner?" Zuko asked testily. Cai turned to him and shot him a withering glare, which Zuko returned in full.

"I'll need to think of a diversion so _your sister_ doesn't shoot lightning at us while we're trying to escape." Cai replied, hissing the words "your sister".

Standing between Cai and Zuko made Katara feel extremely nervous, as though either could lash out at any time. She could already feel the heat radiating off Zuko, and was sure that at any moment his fists would clench and strike Cai. Deciding it was time to intervene further, Katara turned to Zuko.

"Down boy." She told him, as though chastising a dog. Zuko angrily opened his mouth, but at a glare from Katara, quickly shut it again. His eyes however retained their anger and his fists did indeed clench. Cai was smirking, something which Katara saw as she turned to face him.

"Two days." She nodded. "Tell Toph and Iroh the plan and come back here if there are any complications."

"You have enough water?" Cai asked, gesturing to the nearby jug. Katara nodded wordlessly again.

"Thanks for your help with…" Katara's eyes flicked towards Zuko and back again, "…everything. Are you sure you're not in any danger from the Dai Li?"

"They may be getting suspicious, so I'll need to make my visits here less frequent."

"Good." Zuko muttered under his breath. Katara rolled her eyes but ignored his comment.

"Tomorrow night, fill us in on the plan. If you haven't come up with a diversion, we'll think of one." Katara said, once again taking the lead. "In the meantime make sure Iroh and Toph are okay and for Gods' sake, be careful."

Cai nodded once, then made his way to the door. He unlocked it, and just as he was about to leave, turned back to Zuko, smirking.

"Once again, apologies for interrupting."

The line of flame narrowly missed Cai's head as he slammed shut the door, leaving a small, smoking indent in the metal. The names Zuko were muttering were not by any means complimentary to Cai or his parentage. Katara felt herself blushing at a couple of these words, ones which she had not heard Zuko use before.

"He only said that to get a rise out of you." She murmured, still keeping her distance from the angry Firebender. When infuriated, Zuko had a tendency to hit out at anything, not caring about the consequences, and unfortunately Katara seemed to be the closest thing, so she was taking no chances.

Breathing heavily, his golden eyes reduced to slits, Zuko turned around to face her. The muscle in his jaw had subsided, and the heat coming from him was slowly cooling. Noticing the direction of Katara's gaze, Zuko slowly unfurled his tightly clenched fists. He looked over at her scornfully.

"I won't hurt you." He said, arrogance in his voice.

"I know." Katara replied, "You're just kind of scary when you do that."

She hadn't meant to say these words out loud, they were just thoughts that had somehow gotten transformed into speech. Still, it was true. Even though Katara knew that anger issues were a part of what made Zuko Zuko, it still frightened her sometimes.

"When I do what?" Zuko asked, genuinely confused. Eyebrows raised, Katara moved aside to reveal the smoking door.

"Oh. Right." Zuko said sheepishly. He paused, and then spoke again. "You know I wouldn't hurt you, right?"

"I know." Katara replied, smiling and walking back over to Zuko. "I trust you."

Zuko gave one of his rare smiles, one that could (and did) light up even the darkest of rooms. When Katara saw this smile, it made her feel like smiling too, as though all the problems in the world had merely melted away. _Yeah, what's up with that? _She wondered briefly.

"We need to get a lock on that door." Zuko mused, glancing over Katara's head.

"Zuko. It's a _dungeon cell_. We already have a lock on the door, and that's the problem." Katara told him, bemused that Zuko had not thought of this.

"Okay," Zuko amended "then a lock that the Dai Li can't open."

"Or how about just no lock at all so we can escape?" Katara asked, smiling. "Why would you want a lock anyway?"

Zuko didn't answer for awhile and Katara feared she had asked the wrong thing. Had Zuko known what was going to happen if Cai hadn't interrupted? More importantly, did he want it to happen? Zuko hadn't pulled away, so that may have been a sign.

"I'm just saying," Zuko started carefully, "I'd feel easier if I knew someone wasn't about to come bursting in at any moment."

"Fair enough." Katara nodded. "Do you need anymore healing? I mean, you look okay to me, but I'm not the one who got stabbed now, am I?"

"I'm fine." Zuko replied. "I think you healed me right up."

Warily, Katara scanned Zuko to see if there were any noticeable after-effects of being stabbed. Besides the pain and the blood and the overall trauma, most of which she had already healed. Even if Zuko was in pain, Katara knew all too well that his pride would stop him from allowing her to heal him. However, Zuko's skin had returned to its normal paleness, and he seemed to have no trouble in walking or balancing. At least, if the way he was walking closer towards her was any indication. He stopped a mere few inches before a slightly confused Katara, who didn't know why he had come so close. Not that she was complaining. So when Zuko began to speak, she listened carefully.

"This past week…a lot has happened." He started softly. "And I know that you didn't ask for any of it. Especially," Zuko looked slightly uncomfortable, "being trapped in the same room as someone you hate."

"I don't hate you!" Katara practically shouted in disbelief before she could stop herself.

"But you did at first." Zuko reminded her. Before she could interrupt again, he went on. "It's alright. You hated me, and yet you still helped me when I needed help."

He paused and looked at Katara again. She looked back, a small yet confused smile on her lips. She had no idea -well, she had a small, absurdly hopeful idea- where this was heading.

"I guess what I'm trying to say," He carried on quietly, drawing closer. "Is thank you for saving my life."

As soon as he said the words, he regretted them. They had sounded good in his head, but out in the open "thank you for saving my life" sounded cheesy and cliché, not exactly the mood he wanted to create. But Katara didn't seem to mind; she closed the already small space between them by brushing her lips against his softly. Although momentarily surprised, Zuko soon deepened the kiss.

All thoughts escaped from Katara's mind. Her dismal surroundings faded away and all that was left was her and Zuko. Katara felt nothing, except the pressure on her lips and the sensation this caused. The hunger, the cold and the weariness she had felt before simply melted away. Nothing mattered anymore, just as long as she continued being in Zuko's embrace, and could feel his lips against hers. It felt right, and she did not want to lose the feeling. When Zuko wrapped his hands around her waist and gently brought her closer, she obliged to his wishes. Katara closed her eyes, wanting to be lost in this moment for eternity. However, harsh reality came crashing down when Zuko pulled away suddenly.

"What's wrong?" Katara asked worriedly. Was it her? She had little -okay, no- experience in the proper kissing department, whereas Zuko seemed to know what he was doing.

"I can't do this." Zuko replied quietly. "Not until I know I have your trust."

_Oh Gods, not this again,_ Katara thought in exasperation. _Shouldn't it be _me_ demanding he prove _his_ loyalty?_

"You know you have my trust, Zuko." Katara sighed, as Zuko dropped his hands from her waist. "Do you really think I'd let you get this close to me if you didn't?"

"I know I don't have your trust fully." Zuko continued, in the same downbeat tone. "You never talk about the Avatar around me. It's as though you're afraid I'll go after him again. I don't know what happened to him after Azula attacked him, I don't know where he is now and I don't know where you're going to go once we've escaped."

Katara thought about what he'd just said. For the most part, it was true. She hadn't told Zuko any of these things, at least, not in detail. A part of her was still wary about mentioning Aang's name around Zuko, but why? If she trusted Zuko as much as she said she did, then there would be no problem in telling him.

_I trust him, _Katara thought, reaching her decision. She smiled and shrugged nonchalantly.

"After Azula attacked Aang, he died but I brought him back with my Spirit Oasis water. He, my brother and the Earth King are currently in a small clearing in a forest just outside the Outer Wall of Ba Sing Se. When we get out, I suppose we'll set off for the Fire Nation." Katara paused. "Happy?"

Zuko's expression slowly started to change. And not in a good way.

"Immensely." He replied seriously in answer to Katara's joking question. A smirk was beginning to appear on his face, reminiscent of the old Zuko that Katara had privately feared. Stepping away from her, Zuko walked over to the door to the cell and banged on it heavily.

"Zuko?" Katara whispered, her stomach feeling as though it had dropped several feet through apprehension over what was about to happen.

"You trust me, don't you?" Zuko asked sincerely, turning around to face her. Katara nodded mutely, her heart racing.

Zuko's smirk returned. "Good." He said, before banging on the door again.

In less than five seconds, a Dai Li agent had opened the door and was peering in suspiciously. Zuko took charge, and his next words chilled Katara to the bone:

"Get Princess Azula. Tell her I have the information she needs."

_**A/N:**_

_**Okay, before you post the death threats, just read the next chapter, okay? Thanks to my reviewers :D**_


	25. Betrayal

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

_No, _Katara thought frantically, frozen in disbelief. _No, it isn__'__t possible. He__'__s changed! He wouldn__'__t do this to me. He wouldn__'__t._

But it appeared he would, as the guard, looking extremely surprised, ran off at Zuko's sharp tone, leaving the two teenagers alone. Zuko remained facing the door, away from Katara. There was silence for a moment, as both sides contemplated what was going to happen next.

"You don't have to do this." Katara whispered, breaking the still silence in the cell. She heard her voice quiver, but there was nothing she could do about it. Her heart was still racing and she felt sick, such a contrast from less than five minutes ago when everything felt right.

"Yes I do." Zuko replied, his voice hard and unlike any tone he had used with her recently. The coldness in his voice sent a shiver up her spine again, but she ignored it. Tears were beginning to prick at the corner of her eyes, but she would not allow herself to cry, especially if Azula was coming.

"Why are you doing this?" Katara asked instead, hating herself for allowing her voice to break. She was sure that any moment she would burst into tears, but was trying so hard not to. She needed answers.

"I have to." Zuko told her, in the same tone. "Otherwise all this was for nothing."

At his last sentence, Katara bit her lip and shut her eyes tightly to prevent the tears spilling. The last week hadn't been a lie; it couldn't have been. Feelings don't lie, and what she felt for Zuko was real, she was sure of it. She thought he felt the same way…_so stupid._

After five more agonising minutes in silence, Azula came striding into the cell, two guards flanking her.

"Leave." She told them, the smugness and mild excitement in her voice evident. They obeyed, handing their princess the keys to the cell and left, closing the door behind them.

There was silence once more for a few seconds, as Azula surveyed Katara with unmistakable triumph glinting in her golden eyes. Then the princess turned briskly to her brother.

"I have to say I'm impressed Zuzu." She said, smiling coldly. "You more or less reached the deadline."

If Katara hadn't been too preoccupied wondering about the deadline Azula was talking about, she may have laughed at her nickname for Zuko, which obviously annoyed him.

"I was wondering about your capabilities after your obvious guilt over betraying Uncle, but it appears you've gotten over that. You've done Father and I proud." Azula continued. Katara knew she was looking for the way to cause her the most pain and humiliation before finding out Aang's whereabouts, and she had never hated anyone more than she hated Azula right now.

"It was easy. I just did what you told me to do, said what you told me to say." Zuko said, his voice matching his sister's in coldness.

Katara looked at him, stung. Even though Zuko's actions had certainly suggested it, she still couldn't bring herself to believe that Zuko had just been acting all this time.

"You were just saying what Azula told you to?" Katara whispered, anger overpowering sadness for a moment. "No."

Azula looked bored by Katara's statement, even though each of them knew that Azula was enjoying this greatly.

"Let me guess." Azula started off. "He told you he was sorry. He told you it was a mistake. He asked you to forgive him."

Katara stared from Zuko to Azula, painfully aware that this was indeed what Zuko had said. But Azula wasn't finished.

"He probably told you some sob story. Was it about our mother? Or was it how he got his scar?"

"His scar." Katara whispered almost inaudibly.

"You really did lay it on thick." Azula said, a note of disgust entering her voice. Then she shrugged, "Still, if it gained you the sympathy vote I suppose it was for the best."

_I thought he told me because he trusted me__…__but he only told me to gain my pity? _Katara thought, confused again. That didn't sound remotely like the Zuko she knew, but then again the Zuko she knew had never really existed in the first place. _It was only a cruel Prince playing pretend__…_

"So," Azula continued as though there had been no interruption. "Where was I?" She paused and smiled in a mock-sympathetic way to Katara. "Oh, right. Zuko probably repeated his apologies, right? I hope so. I told him he had to go to any means necessary in order to gain the knowledge I needed. And I stress the term "_any_ means"." She paused once more, apparently thinking of what else Zuko was supposed to have done, then she turned back to her brother.

"Oh, I forgot to congratulate you, Zuko, on telling Mai to allow _her_," At this, Azula gestured at Katara, "to see her Earthbending friend. I should have thought of that."

_So that was part of the plan as well?_ Katara thought, beginning to feel like the world's biggest idiot. _Wasn't anything genuine?_

Azula turned back to Katara. "And of course, we never would have learned about what happened to your poor mother if Zuko and Mai hadn't been eavesdropping."

Those words struck Katara hard, causing her more pain than if one of Azula's deadly lightning bolts had been fired at her. The tears which had quelled slightly came back in full force as Katara stared at Zuko questioningly. She couldn't believe he could sink so low.

"No more bad dreams I hope." Azula said lightly, almost sounding sincere. But the cold, cruel edge to her voice made Katara know otherwise. She dropped her gaze from Zuko, directing it instead sideways, so she would not have to look at either of the Fire siblings.

"Like Father always said, Zuko, emotion is weakness." Azula cast a disparaging eye over Katara, who was now desperately fighting tears. "But it seems no one taught _you_ that, did they?"

"My parents were too busy teaching me decency and compassion, something which _your_ family obviously skipped." Katara snapped, her voice shaking again. Normally she would have not replied to this blatant attempt to get a rise, but something inside her had broken. She could not look at Zuko, so kept her eyes steadily on Azula. After a moment however she looked down in, beaten. It was too hard pretending she could cope with what was unfolding before her eyes.

"You're pathetic." Azula hissed, "It took Zuko _a week_ to get you to betray your friend's location. Considering all the effort you put into saving the Avatar's life, I thought you would've put up more of a fight." Azula paused, before smirking coldly. "What _would_ your mother say?"

Katara closed her eyes momentarily, and a single tear fell down her cheek. There was a lot in that teardrop; betrayal, anguish, despair. But most of all there was defeat. Katara had given up; the one thing she had vowed never to do.

"What, that's it?" Azula asked, seemingly genuine surprise in her voice. "No sassy comeback, no infuriating, rage-inspired Waterbending?"

Again, Katara didn't reply, her gaze firmly fixed to the floor, shaking slightly with suppressed emotion.

"You really broke her." Azula said, turning back to Zuko, her tone impressed. "There's hope for you yet."

_Just get it over with, _Katara silently prayed. _I can__'__t take this. Just tell her. Please. Make it go away._

"Well." Azula said, breaking the silence that had taken hold of the cell. "It's been fun. Really." Her voice was so insincere that Katara didn't even know why she was bothering. "But I have places to go and wars to win. Zuko." Azula finished expectantly.

Katara looked down once more. She could not look at Zuko as he betrayed her for the second and last time.

"The Avatar is in the city of Omashu, he apparently has allies there." Zuko told his sister.

Katara looked up sharply, her eyes still shining with tears. She didn't understand why Zuko was lying (it seemed to be his new favourite way to pass the time) to his sister, after all he had said. After all he had done. If this was some plan of his then why hadn't he filled Katara in on it previously? He had had the time. He had had a whole damned week! No, he was up to something. Maybe this was another cruel trick. He would probably tell Azula Aang's real whereabouts once they were outside the cell. Pretending to try to convince Katara that he still cared wouldn't work anymore. He had the chance to truly get to know her, and he passed that chance up for a spot in his sister's good books.

_And Azula called me pathetic, _Katara thought scornfully. However, she couldn't restrain the tears from falling once more at the thought of Zuko and Azula laughing at her behind her back.

Taking in Katara's confused expression, Azula laughed coldly. "You didn't really think that he wouldn't tell me, did you? We're family. Blood kin. You're just a peasant, good for nothing except using then throwing aside."

Azula started for the door, Zuko following like the lap-dog he was. She unlocked the cell door and threw it open. Just before she was about to walk out, she paused and turned back around.

"If it's any consolation, I'll make your brother's death quick. Not painless, but quick." Azula smirked. "And I'll make sure the Avatar knows exactly who betrayed his position."

She left, leaving Zuko standing there.

"Don't you ever get tired of doing the wrong thing?" Katara asked, her voice no more than a cracked whisper. He looked at her for the first time since Azula had arrived, but his expression was unreadable. Katara held his glance for a fleeting moment, then turned away. Turned her back on him, as he had done with her. He had lied to her from the beginning, and was now messing with her mind, with her heart. Did Zuko even know what was the truth and what was a lie anymore? Katara didn't know. So she turned her back, not wanting to hear a reply. Zuko stood there for a few more seconds before Katara heard him walk away, shutting the cell door.

She stood there for a few moments longer, before the weight of everything came crashing down on her shoulders and she broke down. The tears she had tried so hard to harness were now cascading down her cheeks unchecked. Collapsing into a kneeling position, Katara pushed all the emotions she had felt in the past few hours into her tears, until she had nothing left to feel. Then she just sat there, empty and hollow like a shell of her former self.

_I should never have trusted him__…_Katara thought. It wasn't self-pitying or miserable, it was just a fact. _Now everyone I care about will die and it__'__ll be my fault._

Deciding she was tired, Katara stood up with difficulty. Although her mind had already decided she was fine, her body did not seem to comply. Her knees shook terribly, making it hard to balance. She staggered a few feet, before coming to the middle of the room. Looking side to side, she had to ask herself which mattress she was going to lie on. Unexpected tears beginning to form again, as Katara made her choice and turned to her own mattress. Gingerly setting herself down, she winced at how cold the mattress seemed. Nevertheless, the lay her head down and shut her eyes, in a desperate attempt to forget for a few hours. Forget about the war. Forget about the pain. And forget about the day she met Prince Zuko.

Walking away from the cell, Zuko heard Katara begin to cry. He desperately wanted to go back and console her, to tell her that she was safe. Azula would go after the Avatar, leaving them free to escape. The plan was flawless. Katara would understand why he had pretended to betray her once he explained, he knew it. But it still hurt to walk away from someone he cared about when she was in so much pain. But what choice did he have?

Catching up to Azula, they walked together in silence. Zuko had nothing to say to his sister after the way she had treated Katara. He had badly wanted to say something during Azula's verbal attack on her, but knew that if he did then the plan would be ruined.

"We leave tonight." Azula said suddenly. Zuko turned to her, puzzled. "For the Avatar?" She reminded him, frowning. "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing. I suppose I'm just tired. The mattresses provided weren't exactly luxury." Zuko lied. Well, the part about the mattresses was true. He was alarmed that Azula would leave so soon. After all, Cai had told them the escape plan was ready for two days, not tonight. Zuko would have to do some rearranging in order for the escape plan to go ahead.

"I'll stay here tonight," He carried on, "If the Dai Li are gone, who will look after the prisoners?"

Azula stopped walking and glared at him suspiciously. "It's been your mission for three years to capture the Avatar. You have the opportunity - the perfect opportunity - to finally detain him and you're throwing it away because you're _tired_?"

"A man needs his rest." Zuko murmured, painfully aware that these words had been spoken to him on two occasions, both by Uncle Iroh. "Besides, I haven't seen Uncle in awhile. This would be the perfect time to…catch up." He allowed what he hoped a cold smirk to settle on his lips, hoping to fool Azula.

His sister still looked suspicious, but nevertheless carried on walking. "Fine. Have it your way. I'll leave you the keys to the cells, but if you change your mind then we leave at sunset."

Zuko had to suppress a shudder. Leaving at sunset meant that Azula was confident in her abilities, even though her Firebending would be weaker than it would be in the day.

Unsure of exactly where it was they were walking to, Zuko followed half a step behind Azula. They carried on trailing the cold corridors until a stone stairway came into view. Azula began to ascend the steps, unaware that Zuko was not following until she reached the top.

"Zuko, I trust you have not forgotten how to use steps?" Azula asked, smirking. Feeling foolish, Zuko soon climbed the steps after his sister. Walking a little more until they had reached the main corridor of the palace, silence settled amongst the siblings.

"I'm going to bed." Zuko murmured. "It's been a long week."

"I will knock on an hour before we're due to leave, just in case you change your mind." Azula told him, already beginning to walk away. She paused, before turning back around. "Father would be proud of you, Zuko."

_That's what I'm afraid of, _Zuko worried silently, but said nothing. Instead, he nodded and made his way to where he thought his room was. He only had a few hours to form a perfect escape plan, and he had a bad feeling that it wouldn't be as easy as it sounded.

_**A/N:**_

_**I got this chapter up pretty quickly, I'm proud of myself lol. Hope you liked the chapter, I'll have the next one up as soon as I can. Damn homework is keeping me from updating every night glares at homework. I couldn't properly read through the chapter, my mother is nagging me to get off the computer, so I'll edit any mistakes as soon as I can.**_

_**Thanks to my reviewers :D Please review telling me what you thought of this chapter.**_

_**By the way, kohroxmysox - the expression OMK (oh my Koh) rocks! lol. **_


	26. Time Is Running Out

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

Shutting the door to what he had called his room for a night, Zuko felt an overwhelming amount of panic wash over him. From what passing guards had told him, it was now just before dinner. That gave him approximately three hours to think of a plan, one hour to convince Katara that he really had changed, to fill her, Uncle Iroh and the Earthbender in on his plan, and then another hour to run over the plan in his mind for any flaws, no matter how small. Then he would need to be in his room for when Azula called. He was obviously going to decline her invitation at capturing the Avatar and insist on having some rest. She would leave and the plan would be ready to execute.

_Great, _a voice that Zuko had not missed spoke, _but what__'__s the plan?_

Shutting his eyes and groaning, Zuko fell onto his bed. If he was lucky the voice inside his head would do more than criticise and make snide comments this time.

_Okay, _Zuko told the voice firmly, _you said it__'__s your job to keep me happy. Well, what would really make me happy is coming up with a plan to help the ones I care about out of Ba Sing Se._

There was no reply for a long time, and Zuko began to appreciate just how much he had missed sleeping on a proper bed. The sheets were fresh even though he had last slept in them over a week ago, and they seemed to be beckoning him to fall asleep on them. At first, Zuko refused the tempting sheets, but soon found his eyes beginning to shut.

_Maybe taking a bath would help? Improve your concentration and all that,_ the voice suggested, jerking Zuko from what would have been his slumber. Agreeing with the voice, Zuko heaved himself off the bed, albeit reluctantly. Walking out of his room and shutting the door behind him, he began to wonder where the nearest bathroom was. Sure, he had used it previously, but that had been over a week ago. Besides, he had since had…other things to occupy his mind.

After wandering around aimlessly for about five minutes, he decided to swallow his pride (he had been doing this a lot lately) and ask a nearby guard. The guard was very helpful, not something Zuko had expected, and immediately pointed Zuko in the right direction. With barely a nod in acknowledgement, Zuko walked away, his mind already preoccupied with something else.

Reaching the bathroom, Zuko cautiously knocked in case some idiot had forgot to lock the door, and, when no one answered, flung the door open himself. This bathroom was bigger than the cell he and Katara had shared, something which both bemused and infuriated Zuko. The tiles of the bathroom walls were a shade of green, only slightly darker than the tiles on the floor. The bath, sink and toilet were made of the same material also; what seemed to be flawless white stone. On closer inspection of the bath, the material turned out to be just that. Briefly wondering where unblemished white stone of such quality could be found, Zuko turned the tap to the bath. The taps themselves were silver, and Zuko could only assume they were real silver. After all, this was the ruler of Ba Sing Se's bathroom. Or ex ruler of Ba Sing Se. Or whatever he currently was.

Clear water began gushing out of the tap and Zuko stared at it, transfixed, guilt rising inside of him like the steam now rising off the water's surface. Zuko knew that there was something wrong if only _looking_ at water reminded him of her. Nonetheless, Zuko quickly turned the tap off, cutting the supply of water off. He turned away, sighing. How was he supposed to concentrate when she filled his head? He couldn't escape the haunting way she had looked at him as he turned to leave the cell. Her eyes had sparkled with tears as she had turned her back. He deserved it though. The more he thought about it the more he knew he should have told her of the plan before he executed it himself.

Reaching a decision, Zuko stood up and left the bathroom abruptly. His feet carried him automatically to the dungeons, and as he descended the stone steps he realized he had no idea what he was supposed to say.

_I__'__ll just make it up as I go along, _he silently determined. _I__'__ll tell her why I did what I did, and how I feel. How hard can it be?_

Walking along the grim corridors made Zuko appreciate how bright it was on the main corridor of the palace. The only light source here was flaming torches every so often, and it made Zuko a little uneasy to be walking here alone.

As if on cue, a Dai Li agent stepped out from an inlet that Zuko had previously not noticed. Stepping back in alarm, Zuko quickly regained his composure. Much to his annoyance, he saw it was the Dai Li agent that was supposed to be helping them escape.

"Oh, it's you." Zuko said, distaste apparent in his voice. The Dai Li agent raised his eyebrows.

_Why did I never ask his name? _Zuko cursed himself. _Damn._

"It's Cai." The agent said, matching dislike in his voice. "What are _you_ doing down here? After what you did I hope you're not planning on seeing Katara."

"So what if I am?" Zuko asked before he could stop himself. He could see that Cai had a brotherly affection for Katara, and didn't want to say or do anything that may seem threatening to her. Instead, he sighed and looked around in case there were more Dai Li agents. "I told Azula the wrong information. She'll go off for the Avatar tonight leaving us free to escape."

Even in the dim light, Zuko could Cai's eyebrows rise in blatant disbelief.

"Uh huh." He said slowly. "And say I believed you. Say for one moment of insanity I actually trusted in what you're saying. Why didn't you tell me or, Gods forbid, Katara, what you were planning?"

"I don't have time for this. I need to talk to Katara." Zuko muttered, pushing past Cai. Cai however held his own and blocked the way past. Not wanting to get into a fight (and proud of himself for that fact) Zuko stepped back.

"Just let me talk to her. Let her make her mind up about me, and if she knows I'm telling the truth then let us use your escape plan." He told Cai, hating the note of pleading that had come into his voice. Since when had Zuko ever begged to talk to someone? Regardless, he looked at Cai, waiting for an answer.

"You hurt her again and I'll kill you." Cai told Zuko, before standing aside and letting him pass. Cai outstretched his hand, and Zuko gratefully took the keys that were inside it then began to walk away.

"I'll be here if you need me." Cai murmured, before stepping back into the shadows.

_He__'__s creepy, _Zuko decided, before walking further on. After ten more minutes of following the same corridor and looking at the same set of surroundings, Zuko realized he had no idea where he was going. What was the point in making all the damn doors look the same?

"Is there a problem?" A timid voice asked. Zuko whipped around to once more come face to face with another Dai Li agent. This one he had not come across before, but he was younger than most of the other agents and looked more nervous. Dressed in the traditional Dai Li uniform, it looked about two sizes too big for him, making his appearance comical.

"Where is the Waterbender's cell?" Zuko asked briskly. It was probably better to act like he was supposed to be down here, and that meant being arrogant. Luckily, Zuko didn't have a problem with this particular emotion.

"It's the thirtieth door on the next corridor." The agent answered, glancing around nervously. "But Princess Azula said-"

Zuko did not wait for the man to finish. Seeing him to be a threat if he told Azula that Zuko had been down here, Zuko threw a punch and knocked the agent out.

_Psh, rookie, _Zuko thought disparagingly. However, now he knew where he was going there was urgency in his footsteps as he hurried to find the next corridor. Zuko passed torch after torch after torch, and yet still no opening to another corridor. Praying he wouldn't have to knock out any more Dai Li agents, Zuko tried to make his footsteps quieter. Although he knew he wasn't making much noise, everything seemed louder in these endless stone corridors.

_The architects here could have saved a lot of money by not building cells and simply letting the prisoners roam about the corridors, _Zuko thought in aggravation as he came to yet another set of doors. _The prisoners would soon go mad._

Finally, after more minutes than Zuko cared to count, he found an opening leading to another corridor. True, this corridor looked exactly the same as the corridor he had just persevered along, but it gave him hope nonetheless. Counting carefully so as not to make a mistake, Zuko started slowly along the corridor. It took awhile, but eventually:

…_twenty eight__…__twenty nine__…__thirty._

Reaching the door that Katara was behind, Zuko took a deep breath and reached for the keys. The first relief was that the key that Cai had produced for him actually fit in the lock. As Zuko turned it, making that horribly familiar scraping noise, he wondered how upset Katara would be with him.

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Sitting against the wall between the two mattresses, Katara had barely moved since Zuko had left. Her attempts to get to sleep had been futile; every time she had shut her eyes she saw him. Standing there. Kissing her. Mocking her. She couldn't take it any longer, so had got up and moved to her current position instead. There was a hollow emptiness inside her, and there was nothing she could do. She didn't know what the hell was going on with Zuko, and what he had told Azula, and that angered her. Convinced Zuko was playing another cruel game on her, Katara had felt her stomach drop another few inches. Despite the day's events, Katara couldn't cry anymore. She was emotionally exhausted, and couldn't bring herself to feel anything anymore. How long had it been since Zuko had left? An hour? More? Time had lost meaning.

A scraping in the lock made Katara look up wearily. She didn't know if she wanted it to be Zuko or not. It turned out not to matter, seeing as it was Mai, wearing the biggest self-satisfied smirk Katara had ever seen her wear.

"I'm here to take you to the bathroom." She said, her normally flat voice alive with maliciousness. Katara mumbled something about not needing the bathroom, but Mai rolled her eyes.

"It's the last time you'll be going out in a few days according to Azula. You might as well make the most of it."

Knowing what Mai was saying was probably true, Katara tried to push herself up but struggled. Her legs occasionally collapsed underneath her and she had to cling onto the wall for support. Mai watched with some sort of twisted pleasure, enjoying seeing the girl struggle.

Walking slowly over to Mai, Katara allowed herself to be pushed out of the door and along the corridor. She remained silent for the duration of the walk, but Mai would speak regularly.

"So, bet you're feeling really stupid now, huh?" Was her first question. "I wonder what the Avatar will do when he finds out what you told Zuko?" Was her next.

Katara knew that Mai was attempting to get a rise out of her, but wouldn't give her the pleasure. Mai was only saying these things because she had a crush on Zuko. Not that that mattered now anyway.

Soon they stopped outside of a door, which Mai opened and roughly pushed Katara in. Katara noticed with mild…well, happiness was too strong of a word, but it was certainly not dismay, that it was the bathroom Mai had brought her to previously, which meant running water.

Following the same process as last time, Katara relieved herself then splashed the water over her face. It seemed to heal her, even though there was nothing physical to heal. The water's cool, calming kiss washed over her and for a moment all of her troubles vanished. Then the water left and harsh reality came rushing back. Taking a few sips of the liquid, Katara wondered when the next time she would taste pure water would be. Deciding better safe than sorry, she manipulated the water still running from the tap into her water pouch that remained at her side. Taking a deep breath for composure, Katara turned off the tap and opened the door. Mai was leaning against a wall, examining her fingernails. They had been painted black, which suited the depressive teenager.

"Come on." Mai said as soon as she noticed Katara, as though Katara was the one holding back. Beginning to walk once more, Katara wondered mildly if Mai would make any more jibes. Or maybe she would just poke her with a knife…either way it would be annoying and uncomfortable.

Luckily Mai remained silent on the walk back. She opened the door once more for Katara and shoved her in. It appeared she couldn't resist one last parting shot however.

"Azula says she'll tell the Avatar "hi" from you."

Standing there in the cell, Katara allowed this comment to wash over her. After what Zuko and Azula had said to her previously, words didn't hurt Katara anymore. Hearing the door shut and the lock click once more, Katara turned around as was about to sit down when she perceived the jug beside the door. It was a miracle that neither Azula nor Mai had noticed it. Counting her small blessings, Katara opened her water pouch and poured the water into the jug, making it almost full again. As the water rippled with each drop, Katara tried to make out her reflection, and who it would show. Would it show the Katara as everyone else saw her, as the caring friend, or as the Fire Nation apparently saw her, as a gullible fool?

But the water just showed Katara…cerulean eyes, tanned skin and dark hair. Her eyes were still red slightly from the tears she had shed earlier, but the marks were fading now. She wondered how the world would see her now. A love-sick teenager perhaps? A young woman who was having trouble seeing the good in people after what had just transpired? Or maybe they just saw a girl. A helpless girl who had to depend on others to save her. A month ago the world would have been wrong. But now Katara feared that it couldn't be more right.

Unsatisfied with what her reflection told her either way, Katara walked slowly back to her space and sat down once more. Barely ten minutes had passed before there was another scraping in the door. This time Katara didn't even bother looking up. That was, until, she heard _his_ voice.

"Katara." Zuko said. That was it. Just her name. Nothing else, no apology, no begging for forgiveness, just her name. So why did it make Katara want to break down all over again? Promising herself she would be strong this time, Katara didn't even look up.

"I know you're mad at me." Zuko continued, walking closer to her.

"Don't come near me." Katara spat at the floor, and she hoped that Zuko would obey her wishes. For once, it seemed he did. However, he didn't stop talking.

"I know you're mad at me." He repeated, standing uncomfortably. "But if you'd just let me explain-"

"Explain?" Katara hissed, still at the floor. "Explain what? You _betrayed _me Zuko. I gave you a second chance, and you used it. You used me."

"That isn't true." Zuko answered, his voice rising ever so slightly.

"Isn't it?" Katara asked. She wanted so much to look at him, to show her how much he had hurt her, but she stood her ground.

Zuko sighed impatiently. "This is ridiculous." He complained, before striding forward and holding out his hand to Katara. Knowing either she stood up willingly or he would make her, Katara chose the option that would at least leave her with some dignity. Heaving herself up, she stood a metre or so away from the wall and finally looked at Zuko.

Looking into her eyes properly for the first time, Zuko was shocked to see what lay there. He had expected anger and sadness, and was not disappointed. But amongst those emotions was also one Zuko couldn't place. But whatever it was, it took the brightness and life out of her eyes. It unnerved him to see Katara like this. Her emotions were normally plain to see and easy to read, but right now Zuko was mystified.

Katara saw how intently he was looking at her, trying to figure her out, and she couldn't take it. She looked away again, as though she found the floor beneath her interesting.

All the things that Zuko had wanted to say had gone from his mind, and he became uncomfortably aware that he would have to talk sometime. Katara wasn't looking at him, which also wasn't a good sign. Suddenly, something inside of Zuko snapped, and he said the exact thing that he had been wondering himself.

"I don't understand why you're so angry with me." He said, and the moment he had spoken those words knew they were the wrong thing to say. Yes, Katara looked up. But the anger in her eyes burned intensely and she shook her head in bitter disbelief.

"You've got to be kidding me." She spat at him.

"I didn't tell Azula where the Avatar was!" Zuko shouted defensively. "I don't see the problem!"

"You lied!" Katara practically screamed. "From the moment I woke up in this cell you were playing a game with me!"

Zuko had fell silent, watching the girl vent her anger out. Half of him wanted to slap her, the other half of him wanted to kiss her. Guessing it was probably better to do neither, Zuko merely waited until the girl had finished. It seemed he would be waiting awhile.

"And I don't know how much you told me was a lie, and how much of it you actually meant!" Katara continued, her pitch remaining the same but her volume going ever higher. "For all I know you could have made everything up!"

"I didn't make everything up!" Zuko shouted back. _At least, not some of it, _he silently added. "After a while I stopped lying!"

Katara took a deep, steadying breath, but it did nothing to calm her temper. "How do I know you're not lying right now?" She asked. Not shouted, not screamed. Just calmly asked. Zuko had started to get frustrated, but it didn't give Katara any pleasure. She wanted him to answer her questions truthfully, but knew that she could no longer trust him to do so.

"You're just going to have to trust me." Zuko replied, his tone matching hers.

"I can't do that anymore." Katara murmured, looking away. This got Zuko's temper flaring once more.

"Why not?" He raged. "I know I lied at first, but the only time I recently lied was to Azula. Which, by the way, I expect thanks for anytime soon."

"I can't believe I'm hearing this!" Katara shouted, her temper also blazing again. "You expect me to thank you for making me believe…" Katara cut herself off and took another breath. "I don't know that this isn't just another trick. What if Azula sent you down here for some twisted reason?"

"She didn't." Zuko replied through gritted teeth. "Yes, Azula told me to say those things. But after awhile I stopped listening to what I was supposed to be hearing, and stopped doing what I was supposed to be doing."

Katara was silent for a moment, digesting this. For a flash, Zuko thought he had been triumphant. But he saw the girl's expression and knew that he was a long way off yet.

"Then why didn't you tell me about Azula's plan?" She asked quietly. "Or why didn't you fill me in on what you were about to tell Azula?"

"I…" Zuko started, but realized he didn't have an answer. He should have expected these questions, of course, but he genuinely hadn't expected Katara to be this difficult. "I don't know." He finished lamely. "I know I should have, and I regret it. And I didn't tell you about what I was about to tell Azula because I needed you to think that I'd betrayed you."

"You doubt my credibility as an actress?" Katara asked dryly. "I'm hurt."

"Azula can see straight through people when they lie. Why do you think she's so good at lying herself? No matter how good at acting you are, Azula would have known that you weren't telling the truth."

Katara remained silent for a long time and looked away. When she finally looked back to Zuko, her expression was perplexed.

"I just don't know if you're telling me the truth." She whispered.

"I wouldn't lie to you." Zuko told her. "At least, not anymore." He added hastily before she could say anything. "I need you to trust me, so we can get the Earthbender-"

"Toph." Katara interrupted quietly.

"-and my Uncle," Zuko finished, ignoring the interruption, "and use Cai's plan to escape Ba Sing Se. Azula's distracted for the night…why do you think I told her the false information?"

Katara knew that the things he was telling her made sense, but she just couldn't bring herself to believe them. She shook her head and turned away once more.

"Katara." Zuko said, with obviously forced patience. "I'm not lying to you. I hated seeing you like that before with Azula. You have no idea how much I wanted to say something. That's why I'm not going to hurt you again. But, please, I don't know how much time we've got left. You need to come with me now."

"How do I know you're not going to hurt me again?" Katara asked, her back still turned to him. Despite what Zuko might think, he was not fooling her. Every word that was coming out of his mouth could be lies for all she knew. All he had had to do was inform her of his intentions, instead of making her believe he didn't care for her.

Zuko rolled his eyes impatiently. They needed to get going and find Toph and Uncle Iroh. Agni knew how long that was going to take. So he decided to tell her what he truly felt, what was really in his heart. Surely she must know that it wouldn't be a lie.

"I wouldn't hurt you," Zuko started, and hoped there was some way he could say this without sounding pathetic, "because I like you. I like you a lot."

Katara inwardly winced, sensing what was coming next.

"You've shown me so much about yourself this past week, Katara. You're brave, you're strong, you're funny and you're beautiful." Zuko's voice dropped as he said this last part, having never called a girl "beautiful" before. He hoped she believed him, because there was no way he was going through this again.

"Katara…I lo-"

"Don't!" Katara snapped, whipping around and cutting him off abruptly. "Don't say it."

"-ve you." Zuko finished. She would never know how much courage that had taken to say, even though he meant it more than he had ever meant anything. Feelings weren't Zuko's forte, especially his own. But he knew that Katara had to know how he felt. He just prayed she knew he was telling the truth. The way her face was flushing and her eyes had turned to slits, Zuko had to assume not.

"For all I know everything you could have just said was false." She seethed. "Azula might have told you to say it. But don't think you can play on my feelings like that just because your sister told you to! I don't believe anything you just said to me, and I'm definitely not going anywhere with you!"

Well that did it. Zuko snapped. Roughly pushing Katara against the stone wall, Zuko held her in place by placing his hands either side of her shoulders, preventing any escape attempts.

"Fine." He hissed, leaning in close so she would get the message. "I want more than anything for you to trust me again. But right now, we really need to go. And believe me, we are going to go, with your consent or not."

Katara seemed to shrink at his words, and her eyes shone with fear. It took Zuko all of his determination not to pull away.

"I hate to do this." He continued, his tone only a trace softer. "But I have no choice. Right now my priority is your safety, and you're not going to be safe in here."

"I'll take my chances." Katara said, and though her body language showed she was still afraid, her voice did not shake and she looked Zuko in the eye. "You've just demonstrated exactly why I shouldn't trust you."

Sighing angrily, Zuko removed his hands and instead placed them on Katara's shoulders, gripping them to show her he was serious.

_This has gone on long enough, _Katara decided as soon as Zuko gripped her shoulders painfully. To his credit, he probably didn't know that his grip was painful, because Katara was making no sign that it was. That was because she was concentrating on the jug of water, a few feet behind where Zuko stood. Knowing that at any moment Zuko would force her to move, Katara manoeuvred her arms sideways, so she had more or less clear access of the jug. Separating her arms as violently as she could, the water followed suit, tearing the jug apart. Debris flew into the stone walls either side, and Zuko whipped around, just in time to see the jug's contents hovering above him. Drawing the water closer to her, Katara stopped it so it suspended in the gap between her and Zuko.

"Right now, you really need to go." Katara told him, concentrating half on the water, and half on her words. "And believe me, you are going to go, with or without your consent."

Not waiting for a response, Katara brought the water down quickly, so it formed a window between her and Zuko. With only a moment's hesitation, Katara pushed as hard as she could, and the force of the water pushed Zuko further and further away. Each time the water had reached its limit, Katara pulled it back and started again, moving closer and closer. Zuko stumbled but didn't fall completely, managing to keep his balance. Luckily for him, the door remained half open, so he had a chance to fully open it before being forcibly removed into the corridor. The water became hotter and hotter as Katara got more and more enraged, and soon the water was bubbling ferociously. Zuko put up a mild wall of fire to try and defend himself, but the force of the bubbling water colliding with the wall sent him reeling back even more. Soon he crashed into the stone wall in the corridor, opposite the door and only then did Katara stop.

Zuko looked at her, regaining his breath. She looked back, half-defiantly, half-fearful of what he would do now.

"I'm sorry." Zuko said simply.

"Don't lie to me." Katara whispered, before shutting the metal door to her cell.

Zuko looked down himself and he had never felt more emotions at one time than he did right now. He supposed he had deserved what Katara had (literally) thrown at him, but it still stung his pride. Still, Prince Zuko had not gotten his reputation by giving up easily. And for once it seemed luck may be on his side, as another rookie Dai Li agent passed by.

"Where is the Earthbender's room?" He asked sharply. He was in no mood for pleasantries.

"Uh, fifteen doors down to the left." The rookie replied nervously.

"And General Iroh's?"

"Twenty five doors down to the right." The young man was now glancing around, anxious to leave.

"Thanks." Zuko said sincerely, before knocking him out. Partly because the agent may tell Azula that Zuko was here, and partly because Zuko was really pissed off and needed someone to take it out on. Watching the young man go down so easily, Zuko rolled his eyes.

_Psh, rookie, _he thought, stepping over the unconscious man.

_**A/N:**_

_**Well, gotta say I enjoyed writing this chapter. I mean, I love writing all the chapters…but this one was just plain fun :P  
But gasp will Katara ever trust Zuko again? I think we all know the answer to that lol.**_

_**I hoped I did it justice, and that you enjoyed it. Thanks to my reviewers, all your reviews make me really happy, it's a great feeling. Please leave a review on your way out, thanks :D**_


	27. Feel Her Pain

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

_**A/N: A couple of my reviewers have been reminding me that Omashu has been taken over by the Fire Nation and is now called New Ozai. Just so it**__**'**__**s clear - I know, thanks. It**__**'**__**s a part of the story**__**…**__**all will become clear in a few chapters time )**_

After counting the doors down to the Earthbender's room - and again cursing the lack of numbers on the doors - Zuko took a deep breath before knocking once and opening the door. From what he previously seen and heard of Toph, she wasn't to be taken lightly. He just hoped she didn't already know what had gone on, so he could tell her his side of the story.

"Scarface." Toph greeted coolly. "What the hell are _you_ doing here?"

"I take it you heard what happened." Zuko replied, his hopes dashed. She already knew. Which means she already had an opinion. He walked closer into the cell. This cell was a lot smaller, with no mattress and barely enough room to walk around. This didn't seem to be a problem for the young Earthbender anyway, as she was still chained up.

"You could say that." Toph replied, turning her blind eyes on him. "You could also say you're a heartless jerk and I'm looking forward to kicking your ass back to the Fire Nation as soon as I'm out of these chains."

_She definitely heard what happened, _Zuko determined. Not looking forward to another shouting match with an emotional young woman, he decided to just cut to the chase and explain.

"Listen. I really don't have time for this. You want to kick my ass? Okay. Feel free to do so. But do it _after_ we escape." He told the girl impatiently.

"If Katara doesn't trust you then why should I?" Toph asked, her tone becoming neutral once more. "You hurt her pretty bad."

"I…how do you know?" Zuko asked suspiciously.

"Cai told me and Iroh what you did. I knew she wasn't going to trust you after what you did. Besides, I could feel her pain from all the way down the corridor."

"And by 'feel her pain' you don't mean that in a girly 'friendship' kind of way, do you?" Zuko asked, unsure if he wanted to know the answer. As much as he needed to go, he was also curious as to how far Toph's "radar" could reach.

"I mean that in a 'her heart rate was going crazy, she wouldn't stop crying for ages and she stayed sat in the same place without moving for about an hour' kind of way." Toph corrected him.

Zuko stood uncomfortably for a couple of minutes, unsure of what to say. He felt stupid; he should definitely have gone to his uncle's cell first. At least he would be easier to persuade than this Earthbender. _Katara sure can pick her friends, _Zuko thought sarcastically.

Then a thought struck him and he began to panic.

"Toph…" He started. The girl "looked" up at him and gestured for him to continue when he didn't. "You weren't checking up on Katara during this last week _all_ the time were you?"

A slow, sly smirk spread over Toph's face and Zuko immediately regretted asking the question.

"Occasionally I'd check up on her." She said in a mock-innocent voice that didn't have Zuko fooled. "Just to check she was okay of course."

"Of course." Zuko agreed flatly. Had Toph sensed anything that he didn't want her to know about? Gods, he hoped not. That would be an awkward conversation. Deciding he didn't want to know, he cast around for another subject. However, a tiny dungeon cell wasn't exactly a haven of inspiration.

"I only did it because I thought it would buy us some time." Zuko murmured suddenly, surprising even himself. "I didn't tell Azula where the Avatar was…I told her the wrong information. But by then it was too late. Azula had already said…" Zuko struggled for words, not wanting to tell Toph exactly what had gone on. "Things that no longer apply. The look on her face when Azula started talking…it tore me apart." He whispered the last part. He wasn't looking for sympathy, or even support. He just wanted to let Toph know that he would never hurt her friend.

"What did she say when you came to talk to her before?" Toph asked. Zuko didn't bother asking how Toph knew. He just sighed in irritation, but more at himself than anyone else.

"She kept telling me she didn't trust me anymore." Zuko shook his head. "She told me over and over but I wouldn't listen. I told her we needed to go and she said things that I know I deserved. But I still got angry."

"What did you do?" Toph asked, sighing in a resigned way, as though she expected Zuko to do something rash.

"…pin her against the wall?" Zuko asked in return.

"Bet Sugar Queen took that well." Toph muttered, chuckling darkly.

"I have the painful water marks to prove it." Zuko replied. "Like I said though, I deserved it. The way she looked at me…it's like she didn't even know me anymore."

Glancing up at Toph, he could see her blind eyes turned to him, her brow furrowed. Feeling uncomfortable under her sightless gaze, Zuko looked away. Neither he nor the Earthbending girl said anything for awhile.

"You really like her, don't you?" Toph said quietly, interrupting the silence. Zuko looked up sharply, not replying for a moment or two.

"Don't tell her brother." He said in answer. Then, as an afterthought he added, "Or the Avatar. He'd kill me. He wants Katara for himself."

"I know." Toph murmured sadly, looking down. Zuko was about to question her on this, but shut his mouth.

_One problem at a time, _he reminded himself.

"So does that mean you believe me?" He asked, boldly in his opinion.

"I can tell when you're lying," Toph reminded him, "but you weren't lying when you said all those things about Katara. So I suppose…yes. I believe you."

Zuko could have hugged her. Instead, he breathed a sigh of relief and muttered his thanks. Seeing the Earthbender sitting before him in chains made him wonder if he had the key to the lock fastened around her. Cai hadn't told him anything when he handed him the keys, so Zuko would have to figure it out by himself. Sifting noisily through the keys, he assumed Toph had figured out what he was doing. After all, how many other noises like that were there? Separating the keys that looked like they unlocked doors, from the ones that were a different sort of metal (there appeared to be six different in this section), from the ones that he wasn't entirely sure what unlocked, Zuko soon had a selection of keys to choose from.

_They don't make escaping easy, do they? _He silently grumbled, after trying and failing five different types of keys. _Sixth time lucky…_he prayed, pushing a bronze coloured key into the lock keeping Toph cell-bound. Holding his breath and turning it, Zuko felt a rush of immense relief when the lock clicked open and fell uselessly to the floor. Ignoring the annoying clattering sound the lock had made upon dropping, Zuko set about unravelling the various chains constricting Toph.

"Took you long enough." She grumbled, shaking Zuko loose and standing up. Her legs wobbled uncertainly and she sat back down almost immediately, wincing. Having not used her legs at all for over a week, they were flimsy and kept collapsing under her every time she tried to stand. Eventually Zuko had to offer her his arm, which she leant on until she got control of her legs once more. And as soon as she had, Toph shoved him off roughly, declaring she didn't need anyone's help.

Rolling his eyes, Zuko pushed open the door and proceeded to lead the way, cautiously glancing around for any Dai Li agents that may be loitering. Toph was walking annoyingly slowly, but Zuko did not dare say anything for fear of starting a shouting match. So instead, he slowed down to Toph's pace and walked along with her.

"Where are we going? To Katara?" Toph asked, having the sense to keep her voice hushed. Zuko shook his head and carried on walking. Toph, grumbling, kept up.

Her legs ached but her pride would not allow her to speak up. Zuko didn't know her like Aang, Sokka and Katara did. If she complained he may have thought her weak. And Toph hated anyone thinking her weak. So she struggled on in silence, looking forward to the moment she could sit down again. Zuko seemed to know his way to wherever it was they were going, so Toph didn't question it. Nor did she question Zuko's intentions. His heart rate had been going as normal when he had been telling Toph why he had told Azula…whatever he had told her. Toph still wasn't too sure on that detail. But she knew that Zuko really liked Katara, and he hadn't been lying about that. Toph listened as intently as she could for any sound, and "looked" out for any sign of movement, but none came from behind the doors. It was as though the dungeons were uninhabited, but the occasional squeak of a rat suggested otherwise.

After two minutes of aimless walking, Toph started to get bored. It was cold down here, she was hungry and it seemed Zuko didn't know where he was going after all. Every so often he abruptly held out a hand to signal for Toph to stop, but of course she couldn't see it and ended up walking into him.

"Can't you just _ask _me to stop?" Toph hissed, after the third time this had happened.

"I'm trying to keep us safe from Dai Li agents." Zuko replied, beginning to walk again. "Besides, we're nearly there now."

Not having enough energy to argue otherwise, Toph sighed and carried on walking after Zuko. Sure enough, he soon stopped, this time warning her he was about to stop walking in a low tone.

"Thank you." Toph replied sarcastically. "See, that wasn't too hard now was it?"

Zuko pulled the keys from his pocket, and chose what he assumed was the right one. It was the one that had worked on Toph and Katara's doors, so logic said it would work on this door as well. Zuko slid the key into the lock with ease and it clicked open.

_Thank you logic, _Zuko thought as he pushed open the same type of door that lined the endless corridors.

"Uncle?" He called softly into the cell. "It's me."

Toph walked past him without any acknowledgement and sat down next to a dark shape sitting on the floor. As Zuko's eyes adjusted to the dim light again, he saw this shape was his Uncle.

"Hey Iroh." Toph said casually, lying down and stretching out her legs. "How've you been?"

Zuko shut the door quietly, soon enveloping the small cell in darkness. Once again waiting for his eyes to adjust, Zuko cleared his throat nervously. Would his uncle still be mad at him? Probably.

There came a deep chuckle from the darkness.

"I'm afraid I have been better, Miss Toph." Came Iroh's voice, a little weaker than Zuko was used to remembering, but nonetheless his Uncle's. Comforting and soothing as it had always been.

"What took you all this time, Zuko?" Uncle Iroh continued, speaking to his nephew as though nothing had happened and everything was fine between them. "I expected you sooner than this."

Zuko didn't know what to say. What _could_ he say? He had a feeling: _"I would've come sooner but I was too busy taking over the largest nation in the world with my younger sister." _wouldn't go down too well.

"I had some things I had to figure out." He replied carefully, choosing his words. "But I'm here now, Uncle, and I'm sor-"

"All has already been forgiven nephew." Iroh interrupted gently.

Zuko looked down, ashamed. No amount of grovelling could make up for what he had done, and he didn't understand his uncle's compassion.

"I don't deserve your forgiveness, Uncle." Zuko muttered, not meeting his uncle's gaze in the dim light.

"Forgiveness is not given because the person deserves it, Zuko. It is given because the person needs it. There is no point in dwelling on the past if you are willing to redeem yourself in the present." Iroh stood up, surprising Zuko who had thought that he, like Toph, had been chained down.

"You are free to make your own choices." Iroh reminded him, walking slowly closer.

"This time, make the right ones." Toph muttered darkly from the floor. Chuckling, Iroh nodded. "Our young friend has a point. I don't wish to rush you Zuko, but I assume we're in a hurry?"

Zuko nodded wordlessly.

"Then choose. If you're truly with us, then be with us. Help us. Otherwise, leave Toph and I here to rot."

"Thanks, Iroh." Toph murmured sarcastically. "Involve me in this, why don't you?"

Zuko didn't have to think about it. He knew the answer. He had known the true answer all along, he'd just gotten a little lost.

"I'm with you." Zuko replied, looking up at last. His uncle beamed and hugged him. Zuko stood there uncomfortably for a few seconds before patting his uncle awkwardly on the back.

"Okay, public displays of affection later." Zuko said, untangling himself.

"It doesn't count when your only public is blind." Toph called out, waving a hand in front of her eyes.

"Speaking of, how is Miss Katara?" Iroh asked, too innocently to be believed.

"She's fine." Zuko replied slowly. "Why do you ask?" He didn't want to get into this right now, it wasn't the right time or place. Unfortunately his uncle didn't seem to think so.

"Cai has a big mouth." Iroh offered as way of explanation.

"Of course he does." Zuko muttered, shaking his head. They really should have gotten a lock that the Dai Li didn't have keys to. Everything would be so much simpler…

"I'm guessing that she isn't best pleased with you right now?" Iroh continued, glancing Zuko up and down critically. Feeling self conscious under his uncle's gaze, Zuko almost turned away.

"Why do you say that?" He asked instead, somewhat suspiciously.

"Well she isn't here, is she?" Iroh asked. "Also, you're really wet."

"We have our good friend Cai to thank for the last part." Zuko spat, his eyes narrowed in dislike. "Who leaves a giant jug of water in the same room as an angry Waterbender?"

"Cai left Katara that water so she could heal you." Iroh reminded him. "And it was probably your fault she was angry in the first place, am I right?"

"How much have you been talking to Cai?" Zuko asked indignantly. Had they shared stories on him? Gods, he hoped not. When Iroh or Toph didn't reply, Zuko shook his head. "Can you blame her for being mad at me?"

"Nope." Toph answered promptly.

"Thanks." Zuko replied, dryly. "But seriously, can you?"

"I _was_ being serious…" Toph murmured, her voice quiet and confused that Zuko hadn't understood her sincerity.

Ignoring her, Zuko turned to his uncle, who slowly shook his head.

"If you show her you are truly sorry then she will forgive you."

"You said forgiveness is given because it is needed." Zuko reminded Uncle Iroh. "And I need it from her."

"I sometimes contradict myself." Iroh smiled at his nephew infuriatingly. "Shouldn't we get going?"

Toph stood up quickly, seeming to have fully regained the use of her legs. She sauntered past Zuko and Iroh and stood before the door expectantly. When no one came to her assistance she cleared her throat.

"I may be the world's greatest Earthbender, but I'm not a miracle worker." She said loudly. Iroh chuckled and stepped forward. However, he didn't open the door, waiting for Zuko to instead.

Sighing, Zuko walked to the door and obliged, unlocking the door and heaving it open. With barely a nod of acknowledgement, Toph walked out of the cell. Uncle Iroh was more well-mannered and said his thanks to Zuko.

Stepping out of the cell himself, Zuko turned around and locked the door. So far, everything had been going well, but that could change in a heartbeat. He couldn't leave any indication that this door had been opened today.

Carefully checking the corridor before proceeding, Zuko gestured for his uncle and Toph to follow, which they did.

"Since when are you the world's greatest Earthbender anyway?" Zuko muttered to the girl walking behind him.

"Since I could bend metal." Toph told him proudly. "Show me a Dai Li agent who can do _that_!"

Zuko briefly considered making it his life's mission to find such a Dai Li agent, if only to annoy the cocky young girl, but decided against it. By now he had thought through a whole speech of what he was going to say to Katara, but he had a bad feeling that, like last time, it would vanish from his head the moment he saw her.

Zuko, his uncle and Toph walked in silence down the corridor. It seemed Iroh was on alert as well for any dangers, and Zuko was glad. It was easier having Uncle around, even if he didn't like to admit it to himself.

"This is it." He muttered, stopping outside of Katara's cell door. Pulling the keys from a pocket, Zuko quickly found the one he needed and pushed it into the lock. However, the key was met with something hard blocking the keyhole, and the key wouldn't push through.

"She's blocked the keyhole." Zuko murmured, more to himself that to Iroh or Toph. "She's iced it over."

"She blocked the keyhole using ice?" Toph repeated, unsure of what she was hearing.

"Yes." Zuko replied, gritting his teeth and still trying to push the key through.

"She froze over the keyhole?" Toph asked.

"Yes." Zuko told her.

"Let me get this straight: she placed water in the keyhole and froze the water so it became ice and now you can't get the key through?" Toph asked, slowly.

"How many times, yes!" Zuko snapped, losing his patience.

"Do you need me to spell it out?" Toph spat at him angrily. "She froze the keyhole…you're a Firebender! Do you remember what happens when fire meets ice?"

"It melts." Iroh murmured. "Good thinking Miss Toph."

"I thought so." Toph shrugged, as though she didn't know the meaning of the word "modesty".

Ignoring the people at his ear, Zuko concentrated on making his hand warmer. There was no way he could melt the ice directly, so would have to heat up the whole of the lock and hope for the best. Placing his hand over the keyhole, Zuko felt the warmth from his hand flow into the lock and soon moisture dripped over his palm. Drawing his hand away, Zuko placed the key in the lock once more and turned it quickly, just in case Katara froze the lock again.

The lock clicked and the door was pushed open.

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Zuko walked in first, closely followed by Toph and Iroh. Katara looked up from where she had been sitting and her eyes immediately widened. She scrambled to a standing upright position and stared at Toph and Iroh, as though she weren't sure if they were really there.

A few seconds passed and it was as though the scene had been frozen. Nobody moved, nobody spoke, and it seemed like nobody breathed. Then Katara broke the spell and strode forward, throwing her arms around Toph and pulling her close.

Toph didn't mind this much until Katara started squeezing.

"Okay." Toph said, patting Katara on the back. "Okay, I missed you too."

When Katara didn't let go, Toph began to poke her.

"I get it, you're glad to see me. But breathing is becoming an issue." She said, beginning to feel crushed by Katara's grip. Katara immediately let go and drew back. She had tears sparkling in her eyes and she looked her young friend up and down.

"Are you okay?" Katara asked, her voice catching. "Why are you here?" She turned around to see Zuko and Iroh standing there. "Hey Iroh." She completely ignored Zuko.

"Hello Miss Katara." Iroh said, smiling. He too had noticed this young woman's obvious blank of his nephew, but frankly thought that he deserved it for being so stupid in the first place.

"I'm fine, Iroh's fine. We're here because Zuko brought us." Toph said jerking her head towards where she could sense Zuko and Iroh were stood.

"I gathered." Katara replied icily. "I meant, why did Zuko bring you here?"

"He told me what happened, Katara." Toph said quietly. "And he wasn't lying."

"Are you sure?" Katara asked. Her tone was calm, but it had a dangerous undercurrent.

"Of course I'm sure." Toph snapped, forgetting to use her soothing voice. Well, forgetting to try to use her soothing voice. If she even had one.

"He told you everything?" Katara asked. "And you believe him?"

Toph nodded. "He wasn't lying. I know it."

Zuko ignored the fact that the girls were speaking about him like he wasn't even there, and concentrated instead on Katara. Her eyes were still shining sadly, but now her face was grim. It hurt him that she didn't trust in him, but knew what Uncle had said was true. She would forgive him eventually. She'd have to.

There was more silence, as Katara mulled Toph's words over. Finally, she nodded, albeit dejectedly.

"So what's the plan then?" Toph asked, breaking the silence. Even though she could not see her friend, Toph knew that Katara had caved in. She was just too weak right now not too.

Katara turned to Zuko, but kept her eyes off his face. Instead, she kept her gaze firmly on his shoulder.

"Azula is leaving tonight. All I need to do is find Cai, and he'll tell us his plan for escape. Then we follow it."

There was a short pause.

"So…your plan is actually Cai's plan?" Toph asked, unimpressed.

"I had an hour to think of a master plan, did you really think I could think of something in that amount of time?" Zuko retaliated.

"You can usually come up with plans in the space of five seconds." Katara said, to Zuko's shoulder. "Then again, they aren't exactly genius."

Iroh flicked his eyes to his nephew, to see how he would react to this barb. Surprisingly, he did nothing. However, his voice told of his true feelings.

"Which is why," Zuko said, his tone forced into one of calm, "I'm using Cai's. He's had over a week to think of a good plan. All I need to do is find Cai and make sure he stays with you until we're ready. Azula is calling for me in approximately two hours, so I need to be in my room for that. Until then I can stay down here."

"Or you can go to your room in case Azula comes early." Katara suggested lightly.

"Miss Katara may have a point." Iroh voiced, cutting off any reply his nephew may have been forming. "Azula is probably expecting something like this."

"So it's settled." Katara said quickly, once again stopping Zuko's attempt to speak. "We'll stay here until Cai comes to find us, then we'll meet with Zuko."

"Fine." Toph said. "But what do we do until then?"

For once, everything was silent. Zuko saw this as his opportunity, but for once couldn't speak. Instead, he looked at Katara, willing for her to look back.

But she turned away again, back towards Toph.

"There are mattresses in here. You and Iroh should lie down."

"Excellent suggestion." Iroh nodded, walking over to his nephew's mattress and sitting down. Toph began to do the same, but stopped shortly afterwards.

"Left." Katara called absently to her blind friend. Toph nodded and slowly walked left, until she had reached Katara's mattress. Smiling, Toph lay down and closed her eyes. Iroh soon followed suit, his eyes shutting lazily.

That left Zuko and Katara standing there in silence. Finally Katara looked Zuko in the eyes, but her expression was cold.

"Can you arrange for some water to be sent down here? I might need reinforcements in case something goes wrong."

"I'm not going to turn on you if that's what you think." Zuko told her softly, wondering how many more times he would have to say this.

"I meant in case we ran into any Dai Li agents." Katara corrected him, her voice a little softer. "I know you wouldn't turn on us."

Zuko felt an absurdly hopeful feeling clutch his heart. _Katara trusts me again? That didn't take long…but I'm glad she isn't mad at me anymore._

"So, do you trust me now?" Zuko asked, if only to confirm his hopes.

"I trust Toph." Katara told him, looking away. "She says you won't betray us, then I believe her."

Zuko quickly felt stupid, and looked away also. There was another silence.

"I'll send the water down." Zuko said finally, making for the door. "Do you need anything else?"

He made the mistake of glancing back. Katara was looking at him, her beautiful eyes filled with sorrow and pain. Zuko held her gaze, not saying anything. Nothing needed to be said.

"Just don't let me down." Katara whispered. Zuko nodded, and opened the door. Hesitating only for a moment, he left.

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_**A/N:**_

_**Eh, think I'll rewrite this chapter if I can. Just so you know, Katara hasn't forgiven Zuko yet. She's just going to give him one more chance. Sorry I was slow updating. We had our first exam this week, followed by seven more next week. So I'll try hard to update next week, but if I can't them blame the exams lol.**_

_**The Diamond in the Rough drew a brilliant chapter art for my birthday awhile back, and I was so proud I felt the need to give you all the link:**_

http:// www. deviantart. com/ deviation/ 52818076/

_**Diamond and I found out the hard way that you can't post links in PM's, so I put spaces in the link just in case it doesn't work here either lol.**_

_**Many thanks to Diamond for doing it, you rock :D**_

_**Also thanks for the reviews, especially Shirozora's. Let me just say Shirozora, that I hope you're having a better week this week, and I hope your cousin is okay.**_

_**Please leave a review on your way out everybody, thanks:D**_


	28. Return To Fear

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

Everything went surprisingly smoothly in the run-up to their escape. Zuko had run into Cai on the way back up (actually, he had a suspicion that Cai had been waiting for him) and informed him of what was going on, plus asking for water for Katara. Cai didn't like being told what to do, that was evident from his facial expression as he heard what Zuko had to say, but give him his credit, he agreed. After thanking him and beginning to walk away, Zuko paused and turned back.

"Why did you tell Toph and my Uncle what you saw?" He asked, with a genuine interest to know. "Me and Katara, I mean."

Cai shrugged. "I live a boring life."

_Carry on talking about me to my Uncle and I will make sure you have no life left, _Zuko promised silently. However, not wanting to say this out loud, he merely nodded then continued on his way, running a check-list through his mind, as a voice replied.

_Everyone knows the plan? Check._

_Cai knows where to meet me? Check._

_Cai knows the way out of the palace and out of Ba Sing Se? Check._

_Katara's forgiven me? … I'll get back to you on that one._

Groaning out loud at his mind's response, Zuko climbed the stairs up to the corridor of the palace. Blinking rapidly as he tried to get used to the sudden bright lights, Zuko turned to which way he knew his room was. Once the dots of blinding light had disappeared from in front of his eyes, he checked around him to make sure there was no sign of Azula. For once, there wasn't.

_Why should there be? _Zuko silently reassured himself, _there's still a good hour until she's supposed to leave…which gives me plenty of time to get some rest._

Opening his door and walking into his room, Zuko glanced around before shutting it quickly. Agni knew why he was so edgy all of a sudden, but it was a feeling he couldn't shake.

_Anyone would be nervous if they were about to escape from Azula, _his mind rationed with him.

_She's my little sister, I shouldn't be afraid of her, _Zuko told himself sternly.

_Then why is your heart going a mile a minute? _Asked the voice, craftily.

Ignoring it, Zuko made sure the door was locked and turned to his bed. As tired as he was, it didn't seem right that he should get some sleep on a luxurious bed while Katara, his uncle and Toph had to make do with pathetic mattresses.

_But it'd be okay if I just lay down on the bed…_Zuko thought to himself, doing these actions as he was thinking them. The bed felt like heaven compared to what he was used to, and he quickly sank into it.

_And if I close my eyes, then what's the harm in that? _Zuko wondered, his eyes already half-closed.

_Maybe just a little nap…after all, who knows when I'll be able to sleep like this again?_

With only a small part of his mind arguing that he should stay awake, Zuko fell into a world of sleep, where nothing mattered and he didn't care about anything. But one name haunted his dreams.

_Katara…_

**Two Hours Later**

There was a loud banging on the door, followed by a heavy sigh that a half-asleep Zuko could hear through the door. Wondering who it could be, Zuko quickly shook himself awake.

"Azula!" He muttered, in a panic. For a moment he had completely forgotten the plan, or what he was supposed to say to her. Then he composed himself and it all came flooding back. Shaking his head to make sure he was fully awake, Zuko quickly stood up and made his way towards the door.

Unlocking it, he readied himself for an annoyed Azula. He immediately noticed that she had changed from her Earth Kingdom clothes in to full Fire Nation armour. The deep red of her battle wear contrasting with the darkness of her hair and the paleness of her skin. That, coupled with the usual scowl she had upon her face made her a formidable foe. Now however she wore a smile, which looked foreign on her normally glaring face. She was looking at him, clearly expecting Zuko to say something, so he said the first thing that came into his head: the truth.

"I was asleep." He murmured in explanation.

"That's fine Zuko. I know how tired you must be." Azula said, still smiling.

This version of Azula freaked Zuko out, but he knew better than to say anything. Instead he nodded his head mutely in response.

"And I take it you don't want to come with me to capture the Avatar?" Azula asked, her voice now sympathetic.

"It's not that I don't want to," Zuko said quickly, "it's just that I'm so tired. I'd become a liability. I can't ruin your chances."

"I understand." Azula replied, her sympathetic voice still on. "And I thank you for your consideration. It's still a shame though. Still, I trust you can pay a visit to the prisoners in my absence?"

"What?" Zuko asked sharply. Then, regaining his composure, he added, "I don't think that will be necessary. They have the Dai Li to look after them, don't they?"

"Only the capable Dai Li agents will accompany me tonight, along with Mai and Ty Lee. The rest, and believe me when I say that that is the majority, will stay. Therefore you will be the only person in the palace I can completely trust." Azula paused, and Zuko had to push back a smirk.

_I'm the only one you can completely trust? _He thought ironically. _You won't be saying that in a few hours, sis._

"I appreciate how difficult it will be to go back to the…" Azula paused distastefully, before deciding on a word "…Waterbender after the pitiful looks she was throwing at you earlier, but believe me when I say it will be much harder for you to see her burn." Azula's tone turned from sympathetic to cold and cruel.

"What?" Zuko asked, genuinely confused but afraid to know the answer.

Azula stared at him as though he were mentally impaired.

"Once we have the Avatar there will be no reason to hold onto her. Or the Earthbender. What I have no need for I dispose of. Unless," Azula said, a smirk growing on her face, "you'd like to do it for me?"

Zuko didn't answer immediately. This was most likely the final test from Azula to prove his loyalty. If he harshly declined then she would immediately suspect that something was wrong, which he could not afford to happen at these critical stages of the plan. So instead, he nodded.

"Let's just capture the Avatar first." He replied slowly. "How long will it take you to get to Omashu?"

"Technically Omashu doesn't exist anymore." Azula replied, and for one wild moment Zuko began to panic that Azula had done something drastic like blown it up. "I renamed it in honour of Father. And it won't take us too long to get to _New Ozai_."

Zuko almost wrinkled his nose in distaste for this name and the emphasis his sister put on it.

_If she was any more of a suck up…_Zuko thought, resisting the temptation to roll his eyes. He had never been to Omashu/New Ozai before, but much preferred the name Omashu. He had heard Katara talk about it in passing, and it was the first reasonable place name that had come into his head when talking to Azula before, so he rolled with it.

"Although I trust you implicitly Zuko, I must ask that you don't leave the palace." Azula continued, jerking Zuko out of his thoughts. "I don't want anyone figuring out what has happened over the past week."

She glanced swiftly at Zuko's clothes, causing him to look down also. He had his "civilian" clothes, which was to say black pants and a relatively thick red top. Even though it had no sign of the Fire Nation insignia or anything that might identify him as royal, it did kind of scream out _"Look at me! I'm Fire Nation!"_

"I understand." Zuko told his sister, nodding. There were a few moments of silence between the siblings, as neither knew quite what to say.

"May luck be with you on the mission." Zuko told his sister finally.

"I don't need luck." She smirked, before walking out and shutting the door behind her.

Zuko had the sudden urge to hit something at his sister's arrogance, but he took deep, steadying breaths and the feeling passed. Good thing too, as the closest thing that was solid enough to hit was the wall, and Zuko didn't particularly feel like escaping Ba Sing Se with a broken knuckle.

He could only assume that it would be time to meet up with the others shortly, but he would have to wait a decent amount of time so as not to arouse suspicion. If Azula was only taking the best of the Dai Li then they wouldn't take long to round up.

_There's probably what, twenty, thirty Dai Li agents who are actually good fighters? _Zuko guessed. _The rest…well, "amateurs" is such a strong word. Applicable in this case however._

Zuko hated this feeling, the calm before the storm. He hated being cooped up when he knew there was something better he could be doing. Right now though, he would just have to wait for a few minutes until he was sure the coast was clear. Patience wasn't one of Zuko's strong points, but, as his mother had often told him teasingly: _"Patience is a virtue"_. He missed his mother greatly at times like these. Sometimes he would catch himself thinking about her, about where she was right now. He had no closure, no idea if she was dead or alive, but he was determined to find out one day.

_And if you're alive, I'll find you, and I'll be the person you always wanted me to be. I'll make you proud to call me "son", _Zuko vowed silently.

After casting one final glance around his room, Zuko gathered all the things of value. Namely, his Blue Spirit broadswords. These would be all too conspicuous should anyone see them, so Zuko quickly snatched up the holster and fastened it around himself, so his swords rested snugly on is back. He would just have to hope he didn't see anyone, and if he did then he'd keep his back to them. Simple. Stupid, but simple.

Clasping his hand around the door handle, Zuko took a deep breath. It wasn't like him to be nervous, but right now he was more nervous than he could ever remember being. Pulling the door open quietly, Zuko put every thought out of his mind that did not include being silent and stealthy. Crossing the corridor, he mentally prayed that the swords on his back would not be stained with bloody by the end of the day. Only as a last resort would Zuko kill someone, and it had to be a dire situation before he would seriously consider it.

The way to the dungeons was blessedly uneventful. The only time Zuko thought he had heard something, he had frozen stiffly, his breath held. But it only turned out to be a maid, struggling to carry bundles of clothes, which looked as though they belonged to Azula.

_She probably had them shipped in…and she was worried about _me_ blowing her cover? _Zuko thought, slightly indignant. He watched as the woman stumbled, but hurried to pick up what she had dropped and hurried off. _Azula, next time do your own damn laundry._

Keeping to the shadows, Zuko crept down the stone steps of the dungeon, praying that he wouldn't trip. That would be painful _and_ humiliating. Luckily no such incident occurred and he reached the bottom safely. Sticking close to the wall, he continued silently in the dim light for a couple of minutes, wondering if Cai was where he should be.

"You're late." A voice hissed, making Zuko jump. He was already halfway to his broadswords when he recognised the voice.

"Katara?" He hissed back in disbelief. "You're not supposed to be here!"

"A little jumpy aren't we?" Cai asked, smirking as he walked out from the alcove he had presumably everyone hidden in.

"What happened to the plan?" Zuko spat, making sure to keep his voice low.

"First off, it's my plan that we're following." Cai replied, regarding Zuko coolly. "Secondly, you're the one who didn't stick to the plan. You're almost an hour late! Thirdly…why in the name of Gods do you have _broadswords _of all things strapped to you back?"

"Azula didn't come for me as early as I had anticipated." Zuko said, scanning the corridor behind him. There was no sign of anyone, but that could all change any moment. "And the broadswords are for protection."

"Really? Because I heard they were the latest in fashion accessories." Toph remarked dryly. "Now shouldn't we be going?"

Zuko didn't like taking orders from a twelve year old girl, but he agreed about their departure.

"Over to you Cai." Iroh said, smiling. Cai nodded grimly.

"Zuko, you stay at the back of the group. I'll lead the way. If you see anyone you shouldn't then alert either Zuko or myself immediately. Preferably myself. Got that?" Cai asked, taking charge. They all nodded mutely, Zuko thinking how arrogant Cai was. No matter, he could kick his ass later.

As they began to walk, Toph and Iroh stood almost directly behind Cai whilst Katara hung back, nearer to Zuko. Taking this as a good sign, he began to talk in low tones.

"I'm sorry I was late." He said, half his mind on his words and half on protecting the people in front of him.

"You came, that's the important thing." Katara replied, keeping her eyes forward.

"Yeah, well there was nothing good to read in the palace, so…"

Katara turned around and gave him a small smile while they carried on walking. "You made a joke."

"I sometimes talk incessantly when I'm nervous. If I say anything stupid then just ignore me." Zuko shrugged, his eyes shifting from one side of the corridor to the other.

"Done." Katara nodded. At Zuko's silence, she added, "Sokka talks incessantly anyway. I've learnt to block out the noise."

Smiling to himself, Zuko continued to glance warily around him. After a few minutes of trudging along in silence, it was still quite a walk to the dungeon steps, and then there was the palace to get through.

"If we pull this off it'll be a miracle." Katara muttered, voicing what Zuko was thinking.

Zuko didn't reply, just remained alert for any signs of danger. He felt as though he were walking on eggshells with Katara right now, and didn't want to say the wrong thing. She was…temperamental to say the least, especially right now. He had noticed his Uncle's attempt to get involved by not getting involved. That was to say, he gave Zuko and Katara the space that they needed. But having relationship discussions when you could be attacked and killed at any moment don't tend to happen. At least, not to Zuko.

Silence took over the small group as everyone walked in silence. Katara moved closer to Toph and Iroh, glancing around every so often to check if Zuko was okay. She sometimes gave him a small smile before turning around, which made Zuko feel better about everything.

It took a lot longer to reach the dungeon steps than he remembered, but then again they were travelling quite slowly. Every step they took could be their last, and Zuko knew he wasn't alone in feeling like that. But finally, after an age, the stone steps came into view.

Cai held out an abrupt hand, and Iroh held onto Toph's shoulder so she wouldn't bump into the now stationary Cai.

"Follow my lead." Cai whispered, in a voice so quiet that his companions only just heard it.

"Isn't that what we've just been doing?" Asked Zuko in a low voice, standing next to Katara so that only she could hear. Katara smirked and tried to suppress her laughter by turning away. Zuko smiled to himself, glad that he had made her laugh. It was far, far better than making her cry.

"Actually, strike that." Cai corrected himself, still speaking quietly. "Wait here. I'll check to see if it's safe first."

With that he stalked up the steps and disappeared momentarily, leaving the group in silence. No one dared to move. No one dared to speak. It seemed as though just breathing would alert unwanted attention, so Katara tried to breathe quietly. Cai was gone for about two minutes, which lasted an eternity to those in the dungeons.

"Where _is_ he? I'm cold." Toph grumbled, breaking the silence. Her voice echoed slightly off the stone walls around them, and she smiled at the effect. "Echo…" Her word came bouncing back to her, causing her to chuckle. Iroh smiled also, but Katara frowned and Zuko rolled his eyes.

"Toph, I get that you're bored, but that really isn't helping." Katara said in her sensible tone.

"Sorry _Mom_." Toph muttered back, without thinking.

Katara looked away uncomfortably at the name, and Zuko glared at Toph's back. Not that it helped the situation any, but it made him feel slightly better.

"She didn't mean to say that." Zuko murmured to Katara. "She's just fed up." He instinctively put a hand on her arm, a sign of comfort he had witnessed many times.

"Just be grateful my brother isn't here. He'd probably be running up and down the corridors by now. He hasn't got the greatest of attention spans."

"Have you _met _Ty Lee?" Zuko asked, eyebrows raised. Katara had made no sign that she was uncomfortable with Zuko's comfort gesture, but Zuko removed his hand just in case.

"Point taken." Katara nodded. "Anyway, Cai's back now."

Sure enough, Cai descended halfway down the steps and began to whisper, so that everyone had to move closer in order to hear him.

"The coast is clear. We need to go in single file right now, and keep as far into the wall as possible. Iroh, you lead after me. Keep two metres behind me just in case. Zuko you're at the back again. I don't need to remind you all to keep quiet, do I?"

Everyone shook their heads silently, then began to form a line before climbing slowly up the steps. No one was questioning Cai's orders, because they knew he was their best chance at getting out of the palace alive. So, walking along the beautifully decorated hallways, no one spoke and everyone kept as hidden as possible. Several times Katara noticed something that caught her eye, like a stunning ornament or piece of artwork, but obviously didn't stop to look further. Sometimes she recognised things that she had seen previously, like the grand double doors that led to the throne room. At times like these she bit her lip and worried about Aang and Sokka. Sokka had told her he would come for her if she'd been gone for this long, but he obviously hadn't counted on Aang still being ill.

_Either that or he's realised that I can take care of myself…_Katara thought briefly. Each step she took was another step towards freedom, but possibly also towards death. None of them (with the obvious exception of Cai) knew where they were going, and Katara began to regret not questioning Cai on their route previously. A map would have been nice as well.

However, fifteen minutes into their painfully slow journey (Cai had to stop them all at every corner to make sure there was no one there…and there were a lot of corners in the palace) Katara began to recognise more and more things, until they reached a corridor that was hauntingly familiar.

"No." She whispered in horror. "You've _got_ to be kidding me."

"What's up?" Zuko murmured, walking to catch up to her. Katara turned around to face him, not realising their proximity to each other. If Katara just leant in a little more…

Clearing her throat and stepping backwards, Katara pointed to the end of the corridor, where it was evident that a window had been recently broken. Her finger trailed along the corridor until it stopped just a few feet in front of them, pointing to the floor. Zuko frowned momentarily before the recognition set in.

"It probably isn't what we think. Maybe he wants us to jump out the window?" Zuko asked in an absurdly hopeful voice.

"I think I'd rather jump than the place he's planning on taking us." Katara said darkly, as they came to a stop in the exact place she'd feared that they would.

"We're here." Cai announced quietly.

"Not to burst your bubble, but there's nothing _here_." Toph told him.

"Check again." Zuko told her grimly. "Because there's definitely something here."

"Unfortunately." Katara added, glaring down at the spot Cai was now indicating.

"How did you guys know?" Cai asked in disappointment.

"Let's just say that we've been here before. And it's not an experience any of us wish to repeat." Zuko told Cai, glancing swiftly at Katara. She looked up at him sharply, before her eyes softened and she looked back down to the floor.

"Well sorry folks, but it's the best option we've got right now." Cai said, still looking put-out that his "surprise" turned out not to be surprising. "Now stand back."

The others obliged, Katara watching with a sinking feeling as Cai struck his arms out and sharply pushed them down. The floor in front of them copied Cai's movements, and sunk lower, revealing a ramp down into somewhere Katara had hoped she would never have to go again.

The crystal catacombs.

She exchanged wary glances with Zuko before cautiously stepping forwards, nearer to the sloping floor and looking down it. Katara could see the faint and eerie green glow of the crystals through the darkness, glittering harmlessly. It wasn't the crystals she feared; it was what they represented, the memories which they were bound to bring up.

She hadn't noticed Zuko sidling up to her, and jumped when he spoke softly.

"After you." He murmured, gesturing downwards.

"Thanks." Katara muttered sarcastically, before taking a breath and placing one foot at the edge of the slope. Slowly putting the other foot in front of it, Katara carried on down the ramp in this way, careful not to stumble.

"Come on Sugar Queen! We're not getting any younger!" Toph said when Katara was halfway down. Katara stopped completely and turned to glare at Toph, before feeling the slope beneath her feet abruptly rise then fall again, causing Katara to lose her balance and tumble down the sloping ramp. Smacking her head on the earth at the bottom, Katara winced and sat up, rubbing her sore head.

"Are you okay?" A frantic voice asked. She recognised it to be Zuko's…but why was he worried about her? She'd been through a lot worse (mainly at his hands) than falling down a slope.

"I'm fine." She called back. "Now come on."

Standing up slowly, Katara looked around uneasily.

_I think I'd have rather risked walking out the front doors than be back here again…_she thought, continuing to look around as Iroh, Toph and Zuko made their way down the ramp.

"Sorry about that." Toph said to Katara, grinning sheepishly.

"It's okay, really. Where's Cai?"

"I'm com-" Started Cai before stopping, another voice interrupting him. Katara heard the running of footsteps and suddenly another Dai Li agent appeared, looking down at them all then setting his eyes quickly back to Cai.

"You have to go now!" The agent said, and although they were several metres down from him, they could all hear the panic and urgency in his voice.

"This is my brother, Hiro. He knows about the plan." Cai called down to the group.

"Can't you keep your mouth shut about anything?" Asked Zuko, half-exasperated, half-angry.

"He's the only one I told." Snarled Cai, before turning back to his brother, beginning to get nervous himself. "Now, what's up?"

"Azula." Hiro replied anxiously, looking back down below him at the group. "She knows Prince Zuko tricked her. She's on her way here."

_**A/N:**_

_**Duh duuh duuuuuuh! (Yeah, that was supposed to be dramatic music :P). If you're wondering why Azula was being unnaturally nice to Zuko early on in this chapter, it'll be explained next chapter. Hope you all enjoyed, sorry it took me awhile to update, but exams were on last week. Thanks to my reviewers for giving me 150 reviews! That was my goal, and I'm so happy that I got it. Thank you to InuAva who was the 150**__**th**__** reviewer :D**_

_**Hope you enjoyed, review please :D **_


	29. Go No Further

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

"_Azula. She knows Prince Zuko tricked her. She's on her way here."_

The words echoed around Katara's mind as she stood, frozen to the spot. No one said anything for a moment, allowing the terrifying words that Hiro had just spoken to sink in.

_No. _Katara thought, panic-stricken. _No. We've come this far, Azula can't ruin this!_

"You son of a bitch, you told her didn't you?" Zuko shouted to Hiro, his eyes narrowing immediately in suspicion and anger.

"I swear I didn't." Hiro relied, so sincerely that Katara, Toph and Iroh believed him. Zuko however continued to glare disbelievingly at him, but said nothing more. He, like the others, understood the severity of the situation.

Cai, as always, took charge of the situation. He paused for a moment, and then turned to his brother.

"Hiro, how far are you prepared to go to avenge Father's death?" He asked, looking his brother straight in the eye.

"To the Spirit World and back. I would die to avenge him." Hiro replied seriously, returning his brother's gaze.

Cai nodded, then swiftly embraced his brother. Momentarily surprised, Hiro hugged him back before they broke apart.

"I need you to cut off Azula. Tell her that you saw the prisoners escape through the back of the palace. If she doesn't believe you then try to hold her off long enough to allow my friends a chance for freedom." Cai told his brother, who nodded then turned to the group in the catacombs and bowed.

"It has been an honour meeting you, even if it was under these circumstances."

"Thank you. Good luck." Katara replied, as everyone bowed in return. Even Zuko inclined his head, even if somewhat reluctantly.

"I'll see you shortly, brother." Cai said, as Hiro gave him a last glance before running down the corridor.

Cai remained silent for a few moments, staring after his brother, and unreadable expression on his face. Then he shook his head quickly, as though ridding unwanted thoughts from his mind and turned back to Katara.

"Wait here for awhile. I need to guide you out of the City without being seen, but I also need to get Azula off the trail if Hiro fails." Cai's voice cracked a little as he mentioned his brother's name.

"That could take too long." Zuko argued. "We need to get out of the city as soon as possible."

"You need to get out of the city without being spotted by Dai Li agents." Cai retorted. "Therefore I need to lead you. All I ask is that you wait down here for a short while."

"He has a point Zuko." Iroh murmured. Katara was glad that Iroh had said something, because she agreed with Cai, but didn't want to be the one to tell Zuko that.

Yes, they needed to get out of Ba Sing Se as soon as possible, but last time Appa had been waiting for Aang and Katara when they had escaped. This time Appa was a few miles away on the outskirts of the Outer Wall, and despite all the time that Katara and her friends had spent in Ba Sing Se, it was nowhere near enough time to figure out a route to freedom. They would simply have to wait it out, and pray to the all the Gods that they could think of that Azula would believe Hiro and go after them in the completely wrong direction. But by this time Katara knew Azula. She knew that Azula would not believe anything she did not see with her own eyes. It was for this reason that Katara knew Azula had come back. It would have taken her days if not weeks to get to Omashu, but Azula must not have gotten further than the Inner Wall until she realized that Zuko had tricked her.

_And now she's back…_Katara thought, with no particular emotion apart from the overwhelming fear that was coursing through her veins right now. Soon however, adrenaline would kick in, and she would be ready to fight if the worst came to the worst.

"Fine." Zuko said sharply, interrupting her thoughts. "We stay."

"Then I will see you soon. If Azula comes here I will not betray your whereabouts…and I have a very bad feeling that I will be seeing her shortly." Cai called down, before adjusting his arms in the position so as to raise the ramp up once more.

"Wait!" Katara shouted out. Cai looked down at her but didn't lower his arms. "Thank you," She said, smiling. "for everything."

"It has been an honour and a pleasure protecting you, Katara." Cai said, returning her smile. He then turned to the rest of the group in turn, nodding his head to each of them. "General Iroh thank you for your fascinating stories on the war, they will be something to tell my own children one day. Toph, you are the strongest, loudest twelve-year old Earthbender I have ever met." Cai turned to Zuko slowly. Zuko raised his eyebrows questioningly, the makings of a smirk curling onto his lips.

"Zuko…" Cai started, struggling for words. "You're a jerk."

"I'm touched." Zuko remarked dryly. "Your way with words is incredible."

Cai actually laughed. "I wasn't finished." when Zuko made the gesture for Cai to carry on, he did. "You're a jerk."

"You said that already." Zuko muttered, but Cai ignored him and continued.

"But you're strong enough to protect the group. When something happens to me, make sure you guard them."

"With my life." Zuko replied, a subtle glance at Katara as he said this.

Cai nodded, then turned back to Katara. "If I'm not back within the hour then go. These catacombs can be like a maze, so be careful which way you go. I'd prefer it if you waited so I can show you the safe way, but things don't always work out the way we plan."

"You're telling me." Katara murmured quietly.

"May the Gods be with you." Cai said to the group at large.

"And also with you." The group replied in unison. It was a form of goodbye that was usually reserved for travellers who would not see their families for months, but this farewell seemed just as fitting.

Cai nodded one last time, then lifted his arms sharply, raising the ramp and plunging the cavern into darkness. The eerie glow of the luminous crystals shone brightly suddenly, making the grotto lit, albeit dimly.

"Why did that sound like goodbye?" Toph asked quietly, to no one in particular.

With a heavy sigh, Katara sat down and brought her knees up to her chest, and resting her chin on them.

"Because it was." She told her young friend simply.

There was silence for what seemed like ages, but could not have been more than a few minutes, as each of them in turn sat down on the ground and shifted uncomfortably. All except for Zuko, who remained standing and alert, staring up at where the ramp had been. He barely moved for the next twenty minutes and only responded when the painful small-talk was directed at him. Even then he would only grunt or move his head a fraction in the form of an answer.

After awhile, muffled noises began to seep through the earthy ceiling. Zuko immediately held a finger to his lips as a signal for everyone to be quiet, then beckoned them to the furthest, darkest corner in the cavern. Here they stood, for how long none of them knew. Katara was surprised that they could hear anything through the thick earth above them, and wasn't sure if the fighting sounds they were hearing were a good or bad thing. Before she had a chance to make up her mind however, the noises stopped suddenly and a rumbling sound emitted from nearby. The source of this noise became clear as the ramp that Cai had disappeared from not too long ago once again made an appearance, this time sideways from the group's point of view. Zuko had chosen a good spot to hide; this way they would not be seen from the top of the ramp.

Zuko held up a hand again to stop anyone who was stupid enough to move forward, the way Katara desperately wanted to. But none of them moved forward, or barely even moved at all. They pressed themselves as far into the wall as possible, just in case anyone (mainly Azula) should choose to come down the ramp.

And although there was no sighting of Azula, they could all hear her cold voice, echoing from the top of the slope.

"Like father, like sons, both in life and in death."

These words chilled Katara's heart and her eyes went wide.

_No,_she thought in desperation, _please no._

"Dispose of the bodies." Azula's voice rang out. "Throw them into the cavern for all I care."

"Yes Princess." Murmured several voices, simultaneously and obediently. A couple of grunts were heard, and then two objects rolled down the ramp, lying in an unmoving heap once they had reached the bottom. Katara bit her lip and shut her eyes, trying not to think of what would happen now.

"My brother and the prisoners are probably halfway out of the city by now. I suggest we head them off. Mai, Ty Lee, come with me. Agents, guard the Inner Wall. Make sure nobody gets in or out of the City tonight. And I mean _nobody_." Azula's venomous voice sounded so forceful that no one on the top of the slope spoke until they were sure the Princess was finished, and even then they were reluctant.

"Uh…Azula?" Came Ty Lee's unusually nervous voice. After a pause, in which Katara could only imagine that Azula was glaring at the acrobat, Ty Lee continued, "What's the plan?"

"The plan is to follow me." Azula snarled. "Unless of course you want to end up acting as a lightning rod."

"No thank you." Ty Lee squeaked timidly, and then said no more.

"If the prisoners escape Ba Sing Se then you will have the Fire Lord to deal with." Azula spat, presumably at the agents. "Now raise the ramp and get out of my sight."

Quickly the ramp rose, and the very distant sound of footsteps got fainter and fainter until they disappeared. As soon as the last footstep had vanished, Katara lunged forward, only to be jerked back by Zuko with such force that she slammed into his chest.

"What are you doing?" Katara asked angrily. "Let me go!"

"Azula may still be there, waiting." Zuko replied, holding firmly onto the squirming Katara.

"Don't be paranoid!" Katara yelled, trying desperately to break free. "Cai and Hiro may still be alive, and if so I can help them!"

"Katara." Zuko said, in a much gentler tone. "You can't help them now. They're de-"

Suddenly Katara smashed her elbow as hard as she could backwards, smacking Zuko in the stomach in cutting his sentence off. He let go momentarily, and it was all Katara needed. She broke free of his grasp and flew towards the bodies on the floor, flinging herself onto the floor next to them. She quickly noticed the injuries that both had suffered; a small, smoking hole aimed directly at the heart gave it away immediately.

Turning both the men onto their backs, Katara unscrewed the top of her water flask, withdrawing water as quickly and carefully as she could, before turning to Cai. He wasn't breathing, and his face had gone unnaturally pale, but Katara ignored these factors as she determinedly placed her now water-covered hand over his wound.

The water began to glow, and Katara's heart leapt. But then the water lost its radiance and dropped from Katara's hand, splashing uselessly over Cai's clothes.

"No." Katara muttered through gritted teeth, bending the water back onto her hand and willing it to heal. This time the water didn't even glow, just enveloped her hand, making it cold and uncomfortably wet.

Refusing to give up, Katara flung the water covering her hand aside, and withdrew more water, this time turning to Hiro. He had the same wound, and was in the same predicament as his brother.

Again, the water splattered onto his clothes, accomplishing nothing apart from making his Dai Li uniform damp.

"No." Katara said again, although this time it was more of a plea. Turning back to Cai once more, she stared down at his expressionless face, her own face mirroring that of his. She tentatively outstretched her hand and lightly touched his cold cheek with her fingertips, before resting her entire palm there.

"Did it hurt?" She whispered, her haunted voice echoing around the cavern. "Your sacrifice?"

Someone came and sat down beside her, but Katara didn't take her eyes off Cai's face, nor did she move her hand. Only when a warm hand covered hers did she look up.

"I couldn't save them." She murmured to Zuko, even though this was evident.

"I'm sorry." Zuko replied, his tone matching Katara's. He squeezed her hand gently to show his support, but she responded by tearing her hand away and standing up.

As she looked around the cavern, her eyes showed no signs of tears, no evidence of the heartbreaking pain and guilt that was raging inside of her. But her voice revealed all.

"I-" She started, only getting a single syllable out before her voice cracked. She shook her head and walked off, leaving behind her soundless companions.

After a few moments of surprised silence, Iroh spoke up.

"Someone should go after her." He said, pointedly looking at Zuko. However, Zuko still had his back to his uncle, and wasn't aware his statement was directed at him. When Iroh coughed deliberately, Zuko turned around to see both his uncle and Toph looking at him. Well, in Toph's case she was facing him, her blind eyes fixing upon him.

"You want _me_ to go?" He asked, incredulously.

"I believe that was the general idea." Toph replied, snappily.

Zuko sighed, before realizing that alone time with Katara might not be such a bad thing. It would give him chance to talk to her, as he had not been able to properly for too long now.

He began to walk in Katara's footsteps, already knowing where he was going to end up.

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Katara didn't really know where she was going; she just let her feet carry her. In the place she had just vacated were the bodies of two young men, one whom Katara felt close to. They had both been willing to give up everything for the greater good, and they had ended up losing their lives just so three kids and on old man could have a slim chance to escape somewhere that would most likely prove impossible to escape from anyway.

Katara quickly shook herself for thinking this. She would not give up. Cai and Hiro had risked - and lost - everything to help her, and she would not let them down.

_Thank you…_Katara thought, aiming her words at the siblings. _You saved our lives…I'll make sure your sacrifices weren't in vain._

It wasn't fair that Cai and Hiro would not be able to accompany them to freedom after everything they had done.

_Still, _Katara thought with a bitter laugh, _when has life ever been fair?_

Even though it was meant as a rhetorical question, the answer came screaming back as soon as Katara realized where she was. She stopped dead and looked around, and although her heart was racing, Katara was unable to breathe for a few moments as she took in her surroundings.

Her eyes saw the extensive damage around her. Her ears heard the deathly silence. Her nose smelt the faint, lingering smell of burning. Her skin felt the single cool tear that ran down her cheek.

She was back in the large chamber where the fight between Aang, herself, Zuko and Azula had taken place. Shattered crystalline rocks were scattered haphazardly over the stone floor, and Katara had to practically tiptoe to miss stepping on any sharp bits. Carefully avoiding the pieces, she walked slowly around the chamber, terrifying flashbacks attacking her mind as she did so.

She remembered the pain of being thrown against a particular set of crystals by the force of a combined attack from Zuko and Azula, her eyes following the movement her body must have made as it slammed against the sharp glowing rocks. She remembered everything so vividly that she could recall every step she had taken, every attack she had flung, every hit she had endured.

Finally her eyes drifted over to the fateful spot that Aang had momentarily rested in order to each the Avatar State. Slowly, her gaze lifted until it reached the height that Aang had been when he had been shot down by lightning. Unwillingly, Katara remembered her smile draining from her face as tears spilled over her brimming eyes and she moved as fast as she could to try and save her friend. She had caught him just before he hit the floor, but it was too late. He was already dead. And if Katara hadn't had the Oasis Water, then he would've remained that way. Just like Hiro. Just like Cai.

"It's too much." Katara murmured to herself as she slowly sank to the floor. She had suffered enough in the last ten minutes, and suddenly the weight of the pain came crashing down around her, dragging her deeper into despair. Yet still she did not cry. She sat there for perhaps ten seconds, her mind blank, refusing to think about anything that had happened underneath the palace. Some would call it denial, but for Katara it was a coping mechanism.

So it was with her new-found denial that Katara pushed herself back up, intent on getting back to Sokka and Aang, and having her family reunited once more. She steadied herself and began to walk uneasily, trying to block out the memories that were flooding back with every step she took.

Stopping at the underground river, Katara crouched down at stared at the water for a few moments before bending the liquid into her pouch, just in case. Slowly standing back up, she remained facing the river and felt tears begin to prick at the corners of her eyes, although she did her best to fight them off. Staring at her reflection in the water did nothing to try to appease the tears starting to drip down onto her cheeks and eventually Katara just shut her eyes and allowed the tears to flow. She tried to make herself smaller, in a bid for comfort, although none came. None, that was, until:

"Katara?" A voice asked, ringing out from the other side of the chamber. It was Zuko, but Katara did not open her eyes. She heard his footsteps drawing closer until he was behind her, then he stopped. Opening her eyes, Katara turned around to face him.

"Bet you didn't expect to be back here anytime soon." He murmured, halfway between joking and being serious.

For a moment or so, Katara stood there, unsure of what to say. Then she began to cry. Wordlessly, Zuko moved closer and put his arms around her, drawing her closer. Now the tears came thick and fast, and she made no effort to quell them. Zuko was stroking the back of her head soothingly, his other arm still around Katara's waist. Katara just buried her head deeper into his chest, inhaling his scent until the tears ceased. She gently moved backwards, just enough so that she was still close to him.

"Thank you." She whispered, looking up at him. He nodded and kissed her forehead tenderly, making Katara smile. True, it was a watery smile, but it was better than nothing.

"Come on." Zuko said, taking her hand and gently leading her back in the direction of Toph and Iroh. However, they beat him to it.

Toph suddenly came skidding into the chamber, almost falling. It would have been quite comical if it were not for the look of panic on her face. Iroh came up behind her, panting for breath.

"What is it?" Zuko asked sharply, his grasp on Katara's hand becoming unconsciously tighter.

"Something's coming." Toph said, her voice wobbling in fear. "And whatever it is they brought an army with them."

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_**A/N:**_

_**So I enjoy leaving you guys with cliff-hangers. Sue me.**_

…

_**(Please don't sue me, I have no money)**_

_**I'm sure you can all guess what - or more accurately who - is coming (no it isn't Aang or Sokka…so I pretty much narrowed it down there lol) but I'll save the "revelation" for the next chapter.**_

_**Thanks so much to my awesome reviewers, you guys rock :D**_

_**Please review and let me know what you thought :D**_

_**- Momo **_


	30. I Love You

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

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"You've got to be kidding." Zuko groaned. His hand was still entwined with Katara's, and he showed no signs of letting go anytime soon, which suited Katara just fine.She never wanted to be anywhere else but here, by his side. It felt right, felt natural, as though she'd never been anywhere else. At his words, Katara gave Zuko's hand a reassuring squeeze. He glanced at her and briefly smiled his gratitude, before turning back to Toph, serious once more.

"How far away are they?"

Toph shook her head silently, and then crouched low to the ground, placing both her palms flat. For a moment her face creased in concentration, and no one dared to move in case they disturbed whatever vibrations Toph might be picking up.

"They're about a mile away. But they're moving unnaturally fast."

Toph stood up straight and pointed to a solid wall ahead of them. "They're coming from that direction."

"But that's solid rock." Katara pointed out, before falling silent. "Oh." She whispered, as realization struck.

"I'd say it's safe to assume that Azula has rallied all the Dai Li agents and is now on her way here." Iroh said softly. No one spoke for a moment, as this news sunk in. Each was weak from days of not eating or sleeping properly, so no one's bending was at its peak. Azula and the agents however would be at full power, and would spare no mercy. If a fight ensued it would end in bloodshed.

"What do we do?" Katara asked, breaking the silence.

"We fight." Zuko replied evenly. Each of the people around him looked at him, their expressions that of disbelief.

"We have no other choice." Zuko said angrily, in answer to the questionable looks he was receiving. "Toph, you're surrounded by your element, Katara has a river right next to her and I've already proven that it's possible to Firebend down here."

"There's…what?" Toph asked, tilting her head to the side to imitate thinking. "About two hundred Dai Li agents? And there are four of us. Do the math Zuko."

"Azula isn't susceptible to people begging for mercy." Zuko snapped. "We fight, and we stand a chance."

"A chance of what?" Toph snapped back, "Living for another five minutes?"

"Guys." Katara cut across. Zuko's grip had tightened with every word Toph was saying, and she could feel the heat building. If he wasn't soothed soon, he'd end up burning her. "We don't have time. Zuko's right, we have to try."

"Fine." Toph said shortly, knowing she was outnumbered. "But if any of you die then I'm holding Zuko responsible."

"And if I die?" Zuko asked dryly. Toph paused momentarily, and then grinned.

"All our problems would be solved."

Zuko's eyes narrowed, and his grip on Katara's hand became so tight that she accidentally yelled out. Zuko snapped his gaze towards her, then immediately dropped her hand guiltily.

"Sorry." He murmured.

"It's fine." Katara said, although she shook her hand a couple of times to ease the pain. "Spread out across the chamber. As soon as the first sign of anyone coming through the wall shows, attack it. If we can drive them back then we may stand a chance."

Everyone nodded at her command, then proceeded to spread out. Toph and Iroh took the left side of the enormous cavern, whilst Katara parted the water so that she and Zuko could get across easily to the other side. Once they had, Katara allowed the water to crash back down, but she made sure none of the precious liquid was wasted.

"I'm not going to let anything happen to you." Zuko said, gently threading his fingers through Katara's. Katara smiled, both at his words and his sign of affection.

"Thanks, but last time I checked I can hold my own."

"I know. It's just one of the many reasons why I love you." Zuko replied, smiling himself. Katara stopped walking momentarily and stared at Zuko, who also stopped walking, but averted his gaze.

"What did you just say?" She whispered, stunned.

Zuko considered lying and telling her that she had heard him wrong. After all, he wasn't good with expressing his emotions, especially to someone who meant as much to him as Katara did. Then again, if he really felt that strongly then why deny it? So a trademark smirk appeared on his face, and he looked down into Katara's eyes.

"In brief, I said I love you. Is that a problem?"

Katara smiled her beautiful smile and shook her head, squeezing Zuko's hand.

"Good." Zuko replied. His smirk remained, but inside Zuko was shining with happiness.

"I love you too." Katara replied softly. She turned to face Zuko fully and slipped her free hand through his. Zuko, surprised, closed his fingers around her smaller ones. In truth, he hadn't expected a reply. Sure, he'd hoped for one, but years of Azula's torment had left Zuko believing that no one would love him. But here Katara was, smiling up at him, just mere centimetres from his face…his lips. The gentle look in her sapphire eyes told Zuko everything he needed to know about this girl: that he loved her and he would not lose her.

Zuko slowly lowered his head and leant in, eyes closed, until his lips met Katara's softly. He could feel her smiling as she kissed him back, and she too leant in until she was close as she could be to Zuko. All thoughts of the impending battle fled from her mind, because now was a time for passion and for love. However, before things could get too passionate, an irritable voice rang out to them.

"Come on guys, focus!" Toph snapped. Katara opened her eyes and moved back slightly, a blush creeping onto her cheeks. She glanced up at Zuko and saw that he was smirking, although his cheeks had the smallest tint of red on them also.

Now smiling, Katara gently unhooked Zuko's fingers from her own and stepped back, before walking away.

"Where's my goodbye?" Zuko called after her, slightly nonplussed.

"What goodbye?" Katara called back, a small smirk of her own appearing. "I'll be standing about ten metres away from you, if that."

"Right." Zuko replied, catching up to Katara, before pointing to his right. "Stand over there."

"That's the furthest point away from the wall, Zuko." Katara said, bemused.

"I know. So stand there."

Shaking her head at him in a teasing way, Katara did as she was told. It was sweet that Zuko felt the need to protect her, but she resisted the urge to remind Zuko of all the times she had kicked his ass in a battle. Besides, far away she may be, she still had a clear shot at the offending spot.

Turning back towards the river, Katara jerked her arms sharply upwards, and a large stream of water followed. She pulled back her arms, this time gracefully, and held them like that in an attacking stance, concentrating on her breathing. Soon she would be fighting for her life, and could not allow herself to be distracted by any means. Casting a quick glance sideways, she could see that Zuko had formed a similar stance, a torrent of fire spread between his hands. He too was concentrating, although his gaze was fixed on the wall, where any moment now his sister would burst through. Further on from Zuko stood Toph, her blind eyes narrowed in concentration. In between her hands a large piece of glowing crystal rested, its points sharp and most likely deadly. A few metres beside Toph stood Iroh, in a similar stance to Zuko, his face expressionless, his eyes staring ahead.

A few minutes passed in complete silence. There had been no attack, and Katara's arms were starting to get sore. She began to gnaw on her lip quickly glancing around. Her companions were still in the same positions, and they looked as fed up as she was.

"Uh, Toph?" Katara asked hesitantly, putting her arms down to her immense relief. Her blind friend's head snapped up, her mouth a grim line.

"They're still there." Toph replied, before Katara could even get her question out. "But they're just…waiting."

"Trap?" Zuko asked, his own eyes narrowing. He began to move forward, but Katara put a hand out, in signal for him to stop.

"If it is you're walking right into it." She explained, walking quickly to catch up with him.

"We could reverse the trap." Toph murmured, beginning to walk forward herself. "If we're quiet then they won't know we're coming until it's too late."

"Ah, the element of surprise." Iroh said, and chuckled slightly. "That brings back memories.

"Reminisce later, when we're alive." Zuko interrupted, still walking slowly to the wall, the others close behind him.

It seemed to take an age to get there, but that may just have been the anticipation making every step they took slower. Katara's heart began beating erratically again, and her legs shook slightly. Refusing to be afraid, she held her head higher and continued to walk, avoiding the shattered crystals around her.

They walked the way in silence, and it took them perhaps thirty seconds to get to the wall silently. Once there, they resumed the same positions they had been in previously, with the exception that Toph was standing in front of everyone else, her arms stretched as far out in front of her as they would go.

"On the count of three, I'll demolish the wall and you throw your strongest attacks. Got it?" She asked, through gritted teeth. They each nodded. There was a pause, before Toph continued. "I'm assuming you're all nodding, because in case you forgot, I can't see a damn thing."

"We're nodding." Katara confirmed, trying to hide her smile.

"Good." Toph replied. "One, t-"

There was suddenly a huge explosion, sending Toph, Katara, Zuko and Iroh flying backwards. Katara smacked painfully into the cavern's far wall, then fell to the floor. She did not move for a moment, for fear something may be broken; it had been a hell of a fall. She could taste blood in her mouth, and her eyes remained shut. Around her she could hear dim sounds, and that snapped her back to what was going on.

Around her she could see groups of men in green uniforms, running and moving erratically. They seemed to be rushing towards her, but she couldn't understand why. Then, comprehension came hurtling towards her.

_It _was _a trap…_Katara thought, as it dawned on her. _They caught us by surprise, and we paid the price. They outnumber us four hundred to four._

She glanced around the cavern again. _Well, maybe not four hundred, but we're still screwed, _she amended.

She began to push herself off the floor as she noticed several figures clad in green rushing towards her. She stumbled back, her balance still off, but managed to stay upright. She could see Zuko in the corner of her eye, busy fighting off at least twenty Dai Li agents by himself. Just as Katara was about to run off to assist him, a stream of blue fire narrowly missed her right leg and she jumped backwards, cursing under her breath.

Azula stood nearby, smirking, her hands positioned to deliver another blow, and Katara quickly recovered from the shock and ran towards the river, her logic overpowering her as her mind began to panic. Her eyes swiftly glanced around the chamber, and it was even more painfully obvious that Katara, Zuko, Toph and Iroh were outnumbered. Way outnumbered.

Katara briefly turned around to collect some water, and when she turned back, ready to attack, Azula had vanished. But before Katara could breathe a sigh of relief, approximately ten Dai Li agents had surrounded her in a semi-circle, trapping her against the river.

Without a second thought, Katara withdrew more water and made a ball of it between her palms. She quickly thrust her hands outwards, causing the ball to expand. Pushing with all her might outwards, the water followed suit and smacked a few of the agents in the face, causing them to be temporarily distracted. It gave Katara time to withdraw more water, but it was not time enough to think of a more suitable battle plan.

_Stay alive, _Katara told herself sternly. _That's the only thing that matters right now._

"We have been instructed not to kill you." Came the gravely voice of one of the agents, but Katara could not tell which one.

"What?" Katara asked, pausing for a moment in her confused state. Her eyebrows furrowed, but before she thought any further, she continually repeated her attacks, making them more and more powerful each time, until there were no more Dai Li agents standing around her.

Her chest heaving, Katara tried to catch her breath whilst looking around to see if any of her friends needed help. Before she could, however, a soft thud was heard in front of her, and ten more Dai Li agents surrounded her, each assuming an attack stance.

Cursing under her breath, Katara summoned more water.

"There are more of us than you can hope to defeat." Came a deep voice. Katara jerked her head to where she thought the source of the noise was, but each agent was now silent, their heads down and their eyes covered by shadows.

"You guys are creepy." Katara decided, knowing now was the time to start attacking again. However before she could throw a single drop of water, each agent, moving faster than Katara could have anticipated, tore a piece of earth from the ground, and aimed it directly at Katara. Her eyes widened as her eyes flicked from agent to agent, trying to find a weak spot. When the jagged pieces of earth slanted, forming a shield, Katara knew that escape would be impossible without assistance. Unfortunately, the only people that could help her were busy trying not to get killed themselves, so it was up to her to free herself.

Glancing behind herself swiftly, Katara knew that if she could just get across the river then she may stand a chance.

"We'll crush you before you can even think about it." An agent said suddenly, nodding his head towards the river.

"I thought you said you weren't going to kill me." Katara pointed out, a lot braver than she felt. She was annoyed that her only decent plan of escape had been ruined before it was even executed.

"Who says it'd kill you?" Asked another agent coldly. "A few broken bones here and there…it would stop you running off at any rate."

Katara nodded to show she understood, her mind frantically going through any possible plans for escape that didn't involve a slow, painful death. She decided that, for now, she'd have to play along to whatever game these agents were playing with her.

"I'm just going to look behind me. Don't kill me." Katara dryly told the men surrounding her, before slowly turning around. She saw each of her companions in similar situations, all surrounded and unable to fight. Then she saw Azula, followed by Mai and Ty Lee, walking around the groups, an extremely satisfied look on her face.

"Dai Li." She called out, her harsh voice ringing around the chamber. "Bring the prisoners here. I'm going to teach them what it means to trifle with royalty."

The two agents closest to the water swiftly stepped forward and grasped Katara by her upper arms. She didn't struggle, but allowed herself to be led over to where Azula was stood triumphantly, and where Toph, Iroh and Zuko were already forced on their knees in front of her.

Katara hissed through her teeth as she was roughly pushed down to the hard earth, barely missing the shattered remains of sharp crystals.

"You didn't seriously think you'd get away, did you?" Azula asked, the obvious gloating note in her voice nauseating. She stood impressively tall in front of her captives, Mai and Ty Lee standing behind her and the Dai Li assembled into neat lines behind them.

"I think it's rather obvious that we did indeed think that." Iroh told his niece, a polite smile on his face. Katara had to stifle a smirk, but Zuko shot his uncle a filthy look, then turned back to Azula.

"How did you know, anyway? That the Avatar wasn't where I said he was?" He asked, struggling to keep to contempt out of his voice. "Why did you come back?"

Azula smirked, and leant down so she was at eye level with her brother.

"Zuzu…" She began in a gentle, soft voice. Then her eyes narrowed and she stood up straight. When she continued to speak, her voice was harder and harsh. "I have Fire Nation soldiers posted every two hundred metres in a five mile radius outside of Omashu. Anything from an ant-worm to a ten ton flying bison could not have made it into Omashu without my knowledge." Azula paused. "Also, I was the one who taught you to lie. Do you really think I can't tell when you're lying?"

"I believe it was foolish of Prince Zuko to try to lie to you, Azula. After all, there can only be one lying, manipulating spoilt child in this family and that is none other than yourself."

Katara had expected Azula to be happy to receive such comments, after all she was all that Iroh had called her, and more, but instead she scowled.

"Odd, but for a retired _"hero of our nation"_ you are surprisingly stupid in the face of death." Azula hissed, her lip curling.

"I am not afraid of death. I prefer to think of it not as the end of a journey, but merely the start-"

"Of something new." Azula finished, cutting him off. "But I can assure you, the only new thing you will be experiencing is excruciating pain any moment now."

"So why don't you just get it over with?" Snapped Toph suddenly. Katara closed her eyes and inwardly groaned, Zuko narrowed his eyes at Toph, and Iroh's expression remained neutral, with just a hint of amusement in his eyes.

"Because I'm gloating." Azula explained with a smirk. "Although I'm not sure why. I mean, it wasn't much of a challenge subduing the four of you, was it?"

"Yeah, especially since you had a couple hundred helpers on hand. What's up, couldn't handle us by yourself?" Toph asked, now smirking herself.

"Shut up!" Zuko spat, sending death-glares to Toph, not that she could see them.

Azula's smirk vanished rapidly, to be replaced by a snarl. "I will not be spoken to in that way."

"Why not, it's the truth isn't it?" Katara asked, catching on to what Toph was trying to do. If they insulted Azula like this, then she may send the agents away and demand another fight against Toph, herself, Zuko and Iroh, a fight in which they stood a fair chance. Or it could have the opposite effect and make Azula kill them all.

_But I'm trying to be optimistic, _Katara reminded herself. Zuko shot her a look of disbelief, one that clearly asked _"Have you gone mad?!"_

"How dare you suggest I could not defeat peasants such as yourself?" Azula asked angrily, her composure starting to slip.

"We're not peasants. Well, Katara is." Toph started, much to Katara's annoyance. "But Zuko is your brother, and Iroh is your uncle, making them both members of the royal family. Oh, and go home and ask Daddy who the Bei Fong family is. Then come back and call me a peasant."

_Does the Fire Lord have information on powerful families in the Earth Kingdom? _Katara wondered, but did not dare say this out loud. What Toph said had sounded impressive…apart from the "Katara being a peasant" part. How long would it be until everyone saw past her background, and started seeing her power? Maybe after she managed to beat Azula would they see. After all, Katara was confident that, had Zuko not interrupted, Katara would have beaten Azula in the previous fight in the catacombs.

"You dare to speak to me in this way?" Azula hissed, her upper lip rising into an alarming snarl.

"We dare." Katara replied, smirking. Even if Azula would kill them, it was just plain fun to see her this mad.

Azula said nothing for several minutes. She stood there, glaring at the people in front of her and Katara could feel the heat radiating from her. The four guards stood behind them to ensure they didn't escape were starting to fidget uncomfortably, undoubtedly from seeing their leader this unbalanced. Even Mai and Ty Lee were glancing around nervously.

"You really think that you can beat me?" Azula asked finally.

"Oh good, you said something. I thought you'd forgotten about us." Toph muttered, adding fuel to the fire that was Azula's fury.

"Dai Li, leave." Azula said dangerously. Her eyes were flashing, and although they had succeeded in what they had planned to do, Katara was beginning to regret making Azula this angry.

"Mai, Ty Lee, stay." Azula continued. "Get up." She snarled to the four people in front of her, who obliged without hesitation, immediately getting into their attacking stance.

"I'm going to do you a great favour. I'll allow you all to die with a shred of honour, although I can guarantee that's all you'll have left by the time I'm through with you." Azula said, making circular motions with her arms, then placing her fingers together. Nobody had time to move, which was a good thing since Azula aimed her lightning not at them, but directly above herself. It was a sign of power more than anything else, as if they needed reminding of that. Suddenly regaining her calm, Azula turned to her enemies with an unnerving smile.

"I'm going to show you what happens when you mess with Fire Nation royalty."

_**A/N:**_

_**So…cliff-hanger again, huh? Sorry about that, but I wanted to finish the chapter. Hope there was more fluff, this being my first fanfic I'm not great at fluff yet lol. I read this through, but I was a little distracted, so if there any mistakes let me know and I'll rectify them as soon as I get back :D**_

_**I'm going to Spain tomorrow, so I won't be able to update for a week. Thanks to my reviewers, if you've got questions, comments, or praise, the don't hesitate to PM me or review (preferably review lol). Oh, and as always criticism is accepted, but please make it constructive! Thanks, and see you soon :D**_


	31. Illusion?

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

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After nights of fitful sleep, Sokka was finally resting peacefully. It had been a week since he had last seen Katara and Toph, and he was trying his best to formulate a rescue plan. Aang was slowly getting better, although Sokka feared it may still be days if not weeks until he was back to full Avatar power. But for the moment, Aang was up and about, doing his best to regain his strength as fast as he could. The Earth King was doing his best to aide Aang and Sokka in any way he could, but they all knew that once Katara, Toph and Iroh came back that the Earth King would have to go. It would be too dangerous to have him around, not to mention lack of space on Appa.

Just before he had drifted off, Sokka made sure that Aang and the Earth King were okay. Then, lying face-down on the ground next to the almost burnt-out fire, Sokka shut his eyes, realizing as he did that Momo had curled up on his back.

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_Sokka was dreaming. It was one of those dreams where he had complete control over himself, and felt as though he could wake himself up at any time. He preferred these dreams to ones where annoying, unexpected things happened._

_Looking around, Sokka saw that he was in a field somewhere. The sun blazed down upon him, but oddly he felt no temperature whatsoever. Grass almost up to his knees concealed the ground beneath him and this freaked Sokka out. He began to kick at the grass in an attempt to shove it out of the way, but just as his knee rose for the first blow, a note reached his ear. The music seemed to be coming from just behind him, but Sokka did not turn round. His fear had him rooted to the spot. Raising his head up slowly, Sokka closed his eyes and shook his head._

"_No," he murmured. "Please, please no."_

_However, the Gods of Dream-Land (for lack of a better name) did not hear Sokka's prayers._

"_Two lovers, forbidden from one another, a war divides their people…" Came the singing voice of someone Sokka despised._

_The annoying travelling nomads. They were back._

"_It's only a dream, it's only a dream," Sokka repeated to himself, horrified, hoping that these idiots would leave him alone. He would rather go ten rounds with The Boulder than listen to one more song from these guys. Fortunately (or not, depending on how you looked at it) the nomads only sung the first line of their ridiculous "Secret Tunnel" song, over and over. _

_Sokka was about to whirl around and tell the hippies to shut the hell up, when Katara came walking up to him, a sorrowful look on her face. Forgetting his anger towards the singing nomads, Sokka waited for Katara to reach him and then flung his arms around his little sister, but she stood rigid and simply waited for him to stop. Sensing something was wrong, Sokka pulled back and glanced up and down Katara, trying to see if she was injured. She just looked normal, exactly the same as the last time he had seen her in the real world._

"_Katara…" he murmured, confused and scared. "What's wrong?"_

_She mouthed something, but Sokka did not hear over the racket the nomads were making with their singing._

"_What?" Sokka shouted, over the ever louder singing. Soon the noise would become deafening, so Sokka did the only logical thing. Well, logical to himself, anyway._

_He turned around with the intent to punch the nearest nomad (preferably the leader) into next week, but found himself smacking air. The nomads had gone, however, the same line repeated itself, even though there was no evidence of singers. On the plus side, the music was now barely audible and, satisfied if not a little nonplussed, Sokka turned back to his sister._

"_Katara." He said gently. "What's wrong?"_

_Katara shook slightly then burst into tears. "Appa's proposed to Azula!" She screeched hysterically. "And we're out of cactus juice for their wedding!"_

_Sokka stood there, speechless, whilst his little sister carried on crying. Where the hell this dream had come from he would probably never know, but it was getting more strange by the second. Wondering if there was even a point to this, Sokka took a deep breath and figured he might as well roll with the dream._

"_Katara. Appa and Azula will make a wonderful couple. You know that. I know that. Even Momo knows that. Don't worry about the cactus juice, we'll find something else for the wedding." He soothed, saying the first words that came into his head._

_Suddenly, Katara stopped crying and gave him a blank look._

"_Wedding?" She asked, confused. "What wedding?"_

_Sighing, Sokka shook his head. "Never mind." He could still hear the annoying singing in the background, and was trying desperately to tune it out._

"_Okay…" Katara said, obviously perplexed. Then her face brightened and Sokka couldn't help but smile too. His sister had an amazing, infectious smile and it was good to see it again, even if it was only in a dream._

"_I have cactus juice though!" Katara said, grinning. "You want some?"_

Let's see how strange this dream can get, _Sokka thought slyly. Then he nodded at his sister's request._

_Katara bent down into the long grass and stood back up again, carrying a glass of something Sokka immediately recognized to be cactus juice. Taking the glass, Sokka inspected it for a moment._

"_If I start dancing, slap me." He instructed his sister, then drained the glass._

_In the blink of an eye everything changed. The long grass vanished, Katara disappeared and even the music stopped._

_Smokey tendrils filled the air, and the world became grey. Startled at the sudden transition, Sokka looked around. There were no visible forms of life in his new environment; in fact there was no anything. Looking down, Sokka saw grey. Looking up, Sokka saw grey. Looking to both sides, Sokka saw - what a surprise - grey. Wisps of smoke occasionally drifted by, causing him to jump._

_Then, unexpectedly, a soft, ghostly voice rang through the abyss Sokka was now trapped in._

"_Give them the chance that we never had…"_

_A shiver ran up and down Sokka's spine, although there was no chill in the air. Still, Sokka recognised the voice that had whispered from nowhere and as he looked around the vast nothingness, he hoped that the owner of the voice would show herself._

_Sure enough, Sokka only had to wait a few moments before the smoky tendrils gathered together gracefully and merged to form the shape of a young woman. Sokka stood and stared as the girl became solid and took a step forward, her beautiful face shining with a smile that Sokka thought he would never see again._

"_Yue…" Sokka whispered, gazing at her._

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"Is it just me or was that a really bad idea?" Zuko hissed, roughly shoving Katara aside so she was not hit by a knife thrown by Mai. Katara quickly got back on her feet and shot at Mai with her own blade made of water.

_See how _she_ likes it! _Katara thought viciously, but Mai dodged the attack easily and went on to target Katara. They were a minute or so into the battle, and already Katara felt the adrenaline pumping through her veins, giving her the extra boost to carry on attacking. The odds were much more in their favour now that Azula had banished the Dai Li, but Zuko still seemed to feel the need to protect her, even though Katara knew that he should be fighting Azula. At the moment Azula was perched on a rock, keeping out of the battle, which worried Katara. At least, it worried Katara every time she managed to steal a glance at the Princess; more often than not she was being pushed aside by Zuko so he could "save" her.

After the third time that had happened, Katara got annoyed. Creating a torrent of water, Katara flung the attack at Mai, which sent her crashing to the floor. Satisfied that Mai would be distracted for a few seconds so long as Katara sent regular jets of water, Katara turned to Zuko angrily.

"What the hell are you doing?" She asked, sending a sideways glance every so often to both Mai and Azula, just to make sure they were at a safe distance.

"What do you mean?" Zuko asked, also glancing sideways.

"I can fight by myself." Katara told him, sending another burst of water at Mai, sending her downwards once more. "I'm on your team, so I'm your equal."

Zuko didn't reply, but gently took Katara's hand in his own.

"I just don't want you getting hurt." He explained, enjoying the warmth of Katara's hands in his own.

"I don't want me getting hurt either." Katara said, a small smile at the corner of her mouth. "But I'll deal with Mai and you can take revenge on Azula for giving us horrible soup."

Zuko smiled, either at Katara's feeble joke or at something else, but seeing his smile suddenly gave Katara more incentive to win this fight. They had to live so that Katara could see that wonderful smile again.

Squeezing her hand briefly, Zuko let go and ran over to Azula, who was still standing there, a look of disgust now displayed on her face.

Azula said something, something that angered Zuko, but Katara couldn't hear. Deciding to turn back to her opponent, Katara summoned a large amount of water from the nearby river, and played with it in her hands whilst she waited for Mai to regain her footing. As soon as she had, Katara found five knives flying her way. Encasing them all in a large block of ice, Katara hurled the ice towards Mai, quickly gathering more water. The aim was to knock Mai out, not kill her, but that did not stop Katara from sending her most vicious attacks Mai's way.

_I may be helpless without my bending, _Katara thought, sending stream after stream of water at Mai, _but with it I'm pretty damn powerful._

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Azula watched her older brother run over to her without much concern. She knew full well that Zuko never could and never would be able to best her in anything, so what she knew would be their impending fight did not bother her in the least. What had briefly bothered her though was her brother's relationship with the Waterbending peasant. What she had originally dismissed as a crush seemed to have blossomed into something more, something which Azula had realized with disgust. That was, until, she calculated how she would use this to her advantage. And, as ever, she had found a way. As Zuko stopped in front of her, Azula regarded him with the same contempt that she had always felt for him.

"I had no idea how low you've sunk, Zuko." She spat, dismissing his nickname to show how serious she found the situation.

"I haven't stooped to murdering people, unlike some, Azula." Zuko shot back angrily. Azula noticed with satisfaction that his fists had clenched and the vicinity around them had heated up. She stood up from her place on the rock and glared at her brother.

"You're a disgrace." Azula hissed, leaning towards Zuko for effect. "The blood running through your veins belongs to Fire Nation royalty, Zuko. And we want it back."

"The only blood shed tonight will be yours." Zuko snarled, but Azula knew he was lying. Even if by some miracle he had the chance to kill her, he wouldn't. Azula knew full well that Zuko was prepared to blackmail and even hurt people that stood in his way, but he would never kill someone, especially not a member of his own family. Azula smiled coldly as she realized that Zuko's refusal to murder would be his downfall.

"I'd like to test that theory." Azula said, standing up straight.

"Go ahead." Zuko replied, readying his attacking stance.

"If Father could see you now…" Azula mocked spitefully.

"He'd be proud." Zuko replied, not even sure if he believed the words he had just spoken.

"I think we both know that Father has never been proud of you, Zuko." Azula taunted. "Never was. Never will be. And when he heard that you had…_relations _with a Waterbender before your death…well. Any hint of pride he ever may have had will vanish."

_Worked like a charm, _Azula smirked, as she easily dodged a blow delivered by Zuko by merely side-stepping it. As much as she loved tormenting Zuko, she felt it was time to fight.

Each time the Fire Nation siblings had fought previously, it had ended in Zuko's defeat. Azula did her best to make sure this time would be no different. However, something _was_ different. Zuko seemed more focused this time and, although he suffered a few hits, he quickly recovered from each in rapid succession. Azula, although originally puzzled, brushed off her confusion and put her energy into fighting her brother.

Azula was surprised to see Zuko holding his own against her. He had made daggers out of flame, and used them to block her attacks, much like he did when Azula almost tricked him into going back to the Fire Nation. Every strike she tried to execute ended up a failure, even the ones she had only just learnt. Narrowing her eyes in anger, Azula decided that hand-to-hand combat was not going to win her this fight. She needed to fight with Firebending, something she knew she could beat Zuko at. So instead she stopped attacking momentarily, waiting for Zuko to strike instead. She wasn't disappointed.

Seeing his opening, Zuko threw a flurry of fists on his little sister, who had watched him with cold, golden eyes. Without even blinking, Azula brought up both her arms and caught Zuko's fists. She smirked as Zuko realized he was powerless. Momentarily debating with herself whether she should say something witty now or later, Azula brought up her leg and pushed as hard as she could against Zuko's stomach.

With an agonised grunt, Zuko went flying backwards, landing with a hard slam on the cold stone floor. He did not get up for a few seconds, giving Azula more than enough time to figure out her next moves.

"Come on Zuzu," She mocked. "I expected more of a fight from you."

She put her palms together then swiftly brought them apart again, admiring the hot blue flame that now danced between her fingertips. As Zuko struggled to his feet, Azula cast a glance over to the Waterbending peasant and Mai. The Waterbender appeared to be getting the better of Mai, much to Azula's disgust. Lip curling, she turned back to her brother.

"Seems like your little Water Tribe whore is putting up a better fight than you." Azula observed, just as Zuko had steadied himself.

With a furious roar, Zuko shot a proverbial flood of fire towards Azula. Satisfied that she had gotten a rise out of him, Azula quickly placed her palms outstretched at the oncoming fire, and manipulated it so the fire was now under her control. She rested her palms to her sides, allowing her blue flame to mix with the already hot fire, then, bringing her palms up to chest height, she roughly shoved the fire out of her hands and straight into Zuko's path.

"Tell me," Azula called as Zuko managed to break apart the flames that had come very close to his skin. "Will you still want her after there isn't enough left to fit in a tea cup?"

"I love her!" Zuko shouted angrily, sending blasts of fire erratically at his sister. At first Azula thought him sending fire in various directions was a sign of how weak and out of control he was, but now she saw it was the opposite. He appeared to have aimed the blasts so that Azula would not be able to stop them all in time. Azula realized this, alas, a moment before the first flame hit her. The fire latched onto her clothes and burnt through them at an alarmingly fast rate. When Azula felt the flames licking at her skin, she knew this had gone far enough. Ignoring the stinging sensation, she narrowed her eyes once more.

Zuko now had red flames coiling around his wrists, like curled up whips. Azula recognised this as the same technique that he had used previously in these catacombs, then fighting the girl he claimed to now love.

_Love means nothing until it's tested, _Azula decided evilly. It was then she knew how she was going to hurt Zuko.

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"_Hello Sokka." Yue said, her gentle voice causing Sokka to frown in sadness. When Yue noticed his expression, her own brow creased. She raised her hand to touch Sokka's cheek, but Sokka stepped back._

"_You're not really here." He sighed, looking at his deceased love. "This is just another dream, a hallucination."_

"_So what if it is?" Yue asked, a teasing note now in her voice. "Besides, I'm not a hallucination."_

"_Of course you are." Sokka murmured sadly, looking away._

_Yue stepped forward and softly caressed Sokka's cheek. "Could a hallucination do this?" She whispered, then leaned in to kiss him._

_Sokka kissed her back, but only briefly. He soon pulled back and took in Yue's breathtaking features again. Even in death, she was the most beautiful person he had ever seen._

"_I'm here to help you Sokka." Yue said, now serious. "That's why I brought you here."_

_Sokka glanced around his surroundings, wondering as he did where "here" was._

"_So you were the cause of the hell that was my dream just before this." Sokka said, his eyes continuously taking him back to Yue's face._

"_No." Yue told him. "That was a result of your own warped brain." She giggled, then stopped, serious once more. "But I did transport you here, where I can meet with you."_

"_My mind is really messed up if that dream was any…wait." Sokka said, frowning. "You've always been able to bring me here? Any time you want?"_

"_Well, you have to be dreaming." Yue told him. "Otherwise I'd have to transport your physical body into the spirit world, and I don't have that much power."_

"_So if you've always been able to do it, then why now?" Sokka asked, unmistakable hurt in his voice. "I could have seen you anytime before, but you stayed away."_

"_I needed you to get on with your life." Yue whispered, pain entering her own voice. "Seeing me frequently would keep me alive in your eyes. I died to make the world a better place, but that doesn't mean you have to act dead too."_

_Sokka nodded reluctantly, understanding the logic even if he didn't like it._

"_I told you that I'd always be with you, and I will." Yue told him, smiling sadly. "But I don't know how much time we've got here, so it's best to be quick. I know what's happened with Katara, and I'm so sorry."_

_Sokka's heart stopped. What had happened to Katara? Was she dead? Was this what this dream was about, Yue preparing Sokka for the news of his little sister's death?_

_Evidently seeing Sokka's stricken expression, Yue's eyes went wide. "I meant I'm sorry that she got captured by the Fire Nation alongside the little Earthbending girl. Your sister is alright…for now."_

"_For now?" Sokka repeated, hating how ominous the words sounded. Yue nodded gravely._

"_Katara and her companions are fighting Azula and her friends. I think they have an advantage, but if they win then they have no way of getting out of Ba Sing Se unseen."_

_Sokka wondered how Yue knew all of this, but decided to ask her later. Right now he had to focus on his sister._

"_And if Katara, Iroh and Toph do beat Azula then they'd be killed before they could make it out of the city." Sokka mused._

"_And Zuko." Yue added. Sokka snapped his head up._

"_Azula and Zuko? He's fighting his uncle again?" He asked, incredulous although he didn't know why. "I'd expect that from Azula, but him? I always knew he was a jerk!"_

_Yue was silent for a moment, and Sokka was sure that she was desperately trying to conceal a grin. She cleared her throat._

"_Um, actually, Sokka…Zuko is fighting with your sister."_

_Sokka went very pale for a minute, and Yue thought it better not to say anything until he got over the apparent state of shock he was in._

"_If he touched my sister in any way he's going to be so very beyond dead." Sokka growled finally, not realizing what he had said after he had said it. "Not that there's anything wrong with being dead!" He added hurriedly._

"_It's okay," Yue smiled, deciding it would be best not to divulge what was really going on with Zuko and Katara. "But we really need to get on. I think it's best if you're there to meet your friends-"_

"_That bastard is not my friend." Sokka hissed, referring to Zuko. Yue frowned sadly, but continued._

"_-just outside Ba Sing Se, or possibly inside the city itself."_

"_Nice plan, but how are we going to get the Avatar, the Earth King and a ten ton flying bison into Ba Sing Se without anyone noticing?" Sokka asked, his eyebrows raised._

"_Leave that to me." Yue whispered, her quiet voice filled with confidence. "Just be ready as soon as you wake up. I can't help Katara in her fight, but I can aid in her rescue."_

"_How will I know when to leave for the city?" Sokka asked quickly, noticing that Yue seemed a little hazy._

"_Wait for my signal, you'll know it when you see it. It should arrive a few minutes after you wake up."_

_Yue's form began to dim, and she looked down at her body with slight surprise._

"_It seems like I've outstayed my welcome." She stated, before looking back up to Sokka, smiling._

"_How will I find them?" Sokka asked, his voice rising in his need for an answer._

"_Trust in me, and you'll find your sister." Yue said, her ever fading form moving closer to Sokka, until she was just millimetres away from his lips. "I'll never leave you…"_

_She leant in and kissed him, before fading away altogether._

_After getting over what just happened, and the fact that he was now kissing air, Sokka shook his head._

"_She has _got_ to stop doing that…" He murmured, before looking at his surroundings, waiting._

"_Okay!" He proclaimed to the empty space. "I'm ready to wake up now!"_

_Nothing happened._

_Sokka looked around once more, with no effect. After waiting for a few seconds, Sokka stamped his foot impatiently. This was not the best move to make, as his foot shattered the ground upon impact, creating a hole beneath him._

"_Oh no…" Sokka muttered, before beginning to panic. "I broke the spirit world!"_

_The hole beneath his foot was growing larger, and he had to move quickly so as not to get swallowed by it. Backing away from the rapidly expanding abyss, Sokka suddenly bumped into something solid behind him. Whipping around, his nose brushed against a large stone wall that had not been there before. No matter which way he now turned, the wall seemed to block his path. Wondering if this was an illusion, Sokka rammed his fist into the wall._

_Pain exploded in his hand. _It's definitely not an illusion_, Sokka determined, cradling his sore knuckles. The hole had nearly reached him, and Sokka knew that he would get swallowed by it soon enough. Rather than wait for the darkness, Sokka decided to head it off and threw himself into the hole, hoping to get out of this dream._

_He expected pain, confusion and cold._

_What he did not expect, however, was to wake up._

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Sokka's eyes flew open, and he sat up hurriedly, causing Momo to shriek indignantly and fly away. Breathing heavily, Sokka checked himself over then glanced around to make sure he was really back. He was. Heaving himself up, he ran over to where Aang was sleeping peacefully and shook him awake.

"Aang, we have to go." Sokka murmured, not stopping shaking the young monk until he was fully awake. "We need to go and rescue Katara, Toph and Iroh." Sokka paused, then scowled. "And apparently Zuko."

Aang's eyes opened quickly as soon as he heard Katara's name and he grabbed his staff for support as he stood up.

"Then let's go!" Aang shouted, as he climbed up Appa. Sokka shook his head.

"We need to wait for a sign!" He called back, glancing sadly at the luminous full moon. "We need to wait for Yue."

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Katara had Mai face down on the ground. Mai's attacks had eventually gotten both repetitive and boring, not to mention Katara felt her energy somehow draining and she decided it best to subdue Mai now she had the chance. The moment Mai had slammed into the ground from the force of one of Katara's attacks, Katara had ran over to her and placed her knee firmly in Mai's back, so she could not move. She then placed one hand on the back of Mai's head, and pushed down gently so that Mai's nose was against the ground. Both were nifty tricks taught to her by Sokka one time when they were younger.

Knowing that Mai was helpless, Katara glanced around the chamber swiftly. Toph and Iroh were busy with the bubbly acrobat Ty Lee, although it was hardly a fair fight. Toph already seemed bored with everything, and raised two earthy walls from the ground, manipulating them into a box and trapped Ty Lee inside. The muffled indignant shouts of the acrobat could be heard, and Katara laughed.

"What are you laughing at?" Mai spat, her voice also muffled as she wriggled frantically in an attempt to escape.

"Ty Lee. Helpless. Funny combination." Katara said in way of explanation. Knowing she would have to do something with Mai, Katara used her free hand to bend some of the water. She intended to knock Mai out, but it never got that far.

Toph's pain-filled scream came echoing through the chamber, and Katara snapped her head up. Toph was clutching at her shoulder which, even from this distance, appeared to be badly injured. When Toph took her hand away Katara could see that the clothes covering her shoulder had been burned away and now her shoulder was blackened. Wincing for her friend, Katara immediately stood up and began to run over to Toph, only to get stopped halfway there.

Mai had stood up just after Katara had, and had jerked Katara back by her shoulders, quickly placing a blade to her throat. Katara didn't dare move for fear that Mai would slit her throat, and saw no immediate way of escape.

"Who's helpless now?" Mai breathed into her ear, as Azula lowered her smoking fingertips, smirking.

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_**A/N:**_

_**Ack, been so busy, sorry I couldn't update sooner**_. _**Don't worry, I've already started writing the next chapter so it won't be too long till the next update :D  
For the record, I thought the nomads from the "Cave of Two Lovers" episode were brilliant, and I have the "Secret Tunnel" song on my mp3 player :P  
Just a few notes:  
I haven't forgotten about the Earth King, don't worry lol. I tried to make Sokka's dream as weird as I could, but it turned out not as weird as I wanted it. Oh, and Yue's signal is set out to be quite interesting...  
Only got a few more chapters to go, thanks to everyone who has stuck by the story :D  
**__**Hope you all enjoyed, as ever, thank you so much to my wonderful reviewers. Please leave a review on your way out, as your comments are always appreciated :D**_

_**- Momo**_


	32. Shimmering Hope

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

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_Don't move, _Zuko silently willed Katara. Silence rang out across the chamber, louder than any scream or shout. Azula had temporarily distracted him before, and by the time he had focused his attention again, his sister had already aimed blue fire at Toph's shoulder. He had stood motionless, although Zuko know knew that he could have done something to stop Azula. That way Katara would never have tried to help her injured friend and she would not be in this predicament.

Katara's eyes shone with fear, though Zuko could tell she was doing her best to suppress it. The pride he felt for her mixed with the other feelings he had swirling inside of him, like fear and anger.

For what seemed like an age, no one moved, no one spoke. Then Azula raised her head, seemingly sure that no one was going to attack her now.

"Let Ty Lee out." She instructed, her calm and cool voice ringing out. When Toph didn't move, Azula rolled her eyes. "Do you want her to die?" She asked, pointing to Katara in a bored voice that could rival Mai's.

Immediately Toph lowered the stone box she had trapped Ty Lee in but remained silent.

Katara could feel the cold blade against her skin, which suddenly felt so bare and exposed. She didn't like knowing that her life could be snuffed out in one simple motion, but there wasn't much she could do apart from stand there. One wrong move would cost her her life. She could see Zuko staring at her in horror, and she tried desperately not to let her fear show, for his sake. Katara could feel herself shaking and hated herself for it, but she couldn't stop. Her head was raised in a subconscious attempt to get as far away from the knife as she could, but every time Katara even moved an inch, Mai would dig the knife in that much deeper. A couple more moves and the knife would draw blood.

"What a dilemma." Azula mused suddenly. All eyes turned to her, some narrowed in hate, some shining with triumph. "How _are_ you going to get out of this one?" Her tone was mocking, and the majority of people in the vicinity wanted nothing more than to wipe that evil smirk off her face.

"My bet is with a few less pints of blood." Mai hissed so that only Katara could hear, as she pushed the knife in a little deeper. Katara felt a sharp, painful stinging sensation and knew that blood had been drawn and whimpered despite herself.

"Stop it!" Zuko yelled angrily. He had stepped forward but immediately stopped, wisely thinking that if he moved too much it could cost Katara her life. Katara knew how helpless he must feel, and tried desperately to think of some way she could escape. Azula was talking, but Katara blocked her out and thought of anything and everything she could regarding Waterbending and difficult situations.

Casting her mind back to her brief yet effective stint at the North Pole, she strived to remember all the time she had spent with Pakku, and everything he had taught her.

Closing her eyes in an effort to concentrate better, Pakku's sharp voice filled her mind, telling her to raise her left arm or focus more or fix her stance in general.

_Everything is connected, _Pakku had said, while teaching Katara a particularly difficult move. _Just some things are connected better than others. You are connected to every single droplet of water worldwide…the trick is getting it to do your bidding._

In the end Katara had mastered the move, and even used it several times in battle since then. All she had to do then was remember that she was connected to all the water…and it had worked.

Somehow Katara knew that this bit of knowledge would prove to be how she could break free, but how? The water in the river was flowing freely, but Katara would have to raise her arms high and wide to access the water, and that was something she wouldn't be able to do.

Keeping her eyes shut, Katara concentrated harder than she ever had before. Mai was so close that Katara could feel her breath down the back of her neck, and her heartbeat thudding. The knife remained in the same place, but Katara ignored the pain and just focused.

_If everything is connected…and I connect through water…then how can I connect to Mai? _Katara thought slowly, before realization struck like one of Azula's lightning bolts.

_There's water inside every person in this cavern, running through their bodies! _Katara thought excitedly, opening her eyes and trying to quell a triumphant smile. _Azula may be too far away, but Mai definitely isn't!_

The knowledge that Katara had never attempted to bend water that was inside someone else didn't faze her in the least. It was an idea, an idea that, if proved to be successful, could save her life.

The only problem would be that Katara would have to move without alerting Mai, which would prove to be almost impossible.

_Still, I like a challenge, _she reminded herself. _As long as it's a challenge I can do._

She began by flexing her fingers, ever so slightly, trying to get a good idea of how this would work. Closing her eyes once more, Katara imagined the water in Mai's hand and used it to her advantage. Lifting her index finger up, she opened her eyes and glanced downwards, relieved to see that Mai's index finger was twitching.

Thanking every God and Goddess she could think of (she had done this a lot in the past couple of days), Katara pictured Mai's hand once more, and conjured up the water running through Mai's hand.

Putting all of her concentration and energy into a single move was risky, but as long as it worked then the risk would pay off. Jerking her hand to the side, Katara opened her eyes and felt the knife slide away from her throat.

"What the hell?" Mai muttered, staring almost fearfully down at her hand then back up at Katara, who had immediately wrenched herself from Mai's grasp and turned to face her.

"But…you're…" Mai stuttered.

"Helpless?" Katara suggested. "You keep using that word…I don't think it means what you think it means."

Smirking and taking a step back, Katara dropped her hands to her side. The pain in her neck was irrelevant; all she knew know was revenge for her blood that had been spilt. Rising her arms sharply, Katara knew instinctively that the river flowing behind her had halved and the water that was not left behind flew up with her movements. Pushing her hands forward, the water moved with them, and Katara paused before throwing her hands down.

The water followed, crashing into Mai with such force that Katara momentarily wondered if she had killed the girl. Instead of pondering upon this, Katara wheeled back around to face Azula.

No matter how pissed off and powerful Katara currently was, she knew that there was no chance she'd be able to defeat Azula by herself. Throwing a glance over to Zuko, then over to Iroh and Toph, Katara moved towards them. They also started edging towards her, and they met up somewhere in the middle, packing together as if for protection.

"Don't do that to me again." Zuko whispered seriously in her ear, before stepping sideways and assuming his attack stance.

_It wasn't exactly fun for me either, _Katara was about to snipe back, although she knew this would solve nothing. So instead, she summoned the water left in the river so quickly that Azula could not stop her.

The force of the water threatening to cascade down was tremendous, but Katara lifted up her trembling arms and managed to control the liquid.

"You're shaking." Azula noted to Katara. She was stood a few metres away from the group, Ty Lee stood nervously behind her. "I would be too."

Toph stomped the ground in apparent impatience, but Katara didn't have to look to know that Toph had summoned her own weapon; a jagged but large piece of earth. Seemingly getting the message, Zuko created his apparently new signature move of fire whips, while Iroh pushed his fingers together in a move Katara recognized with shock was preparing to strike lightning. She hadn't known that Iroh knew lightning, but wasn't about to debate it right now.

Azula glanced calmly from one face to the next, as a drenched and bedraggled Mai stumbled up behind her, pulling a knife out and cursing under her breath. Ty Lee was bouncing on the balls of her feet, still obviously nervous.

"He'll turn on you again, you know." Azula said, directing her cold golden eyes at Katara. "You know he can't be trusted."

Far from disconcerting Katara, Azula's statement made her more confident. If this was all Azula could throw at her, then she was really losing her touch. Or just plain losing.

"I know he loves me." Katara replied simply, before thrusting the heavy water towards the three girls. Following her example, Toph, Zuko and Iroh threw, struck and lashed their respective weapons into the mix.

The noise was deafening, and Katara covered her ears and winced, but it made no difference. Shrapnel from the earth that Toph had attacked with was flying everywhere, having exploded upon impact of colliding with Iroh's lightning. A great dust had risen, and not one of them would be able to see their own hand had they waved it frantically in front of their faces.

Katara felt herself getting short of breath, though she wasn't sure if she was tired or all the dust was getting into her lungs. Her breathing became laboured, and by the time the dust had settled, her head had begun to spin.

"Is that all you've got?" A spiteful voice rang out, but Katara could not register who it was. She tried to take a step forward, but her body would not obey her thoughts. Katara couldn't speak, couldn't cry out for help.

Suddenly, her knees gave way and she collapsed, closing her eyes before she hit the ground.

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_At The Same Time…_

"Come on Yue." Sokka murmured impatiently. His fingers were tapping Appa's fur subconsciously, as he waited for some sort of signal. What the signal might be, he had no idea. Aang was still on Appa, ready to set off the moment the signal came and Sokka and the Earth King had joined him.

x

The Earth King had been woken up unceremoniously by Momo scratching his head frantically. Now, the Earth King felt his head gingerly for any sign of blood (the lemur had surprisingly sharp claws) as he looked around distractedly. It had been an uncomfortable week for all of them. From what he had gathered, the Avatar had been shot by lightning by the Fire Nation princess Azula, who had joined forces with her brother who supposedly hated everyone and was very anti-social. The Earth King believed the phrase "angry jerk" had been used multiple times, and that was some of the kinder names Sokka had called him. Needless to say, the Earth King was very confused. He had been happy just sleeping in his spot by the burnt-out campfire until everything had blown over, but it seemed the Gods had other plans for him. At least, Sokka and Aang had other plans for him. After being woken up by the lemur, Sokka had yelled at him to get on the bison and not ask questions. It seemed his whole life had been about not asking questions, so he didn't see the reason to start now.

"We have to leave the bear behind!" Aang had shouted as the Earth King tried to drag Bosco the bear up on Appa.

"I'm not leaving without Bosco!" The Earth King had yelled back defiantly.

"Yes you are!" Sokka had screamed, in such tones that it had shut everyone up. "My little sister is fighting for her life against a group of psychopaths, with little help. So when we rescue her I want there to be enough room on Appa for her to lie down and rest!"

So now the Earth King was sitting sulkily on the bison, the Water Tribe boy next to him, the Avatar sitting on the bison's head. They were waiting for some sort of signal, although Sokka had been vague as to what sort.

x

Sokka hadn't told Aang that Zuko had joined forces with their side. Maybe he should have, but he knew that Aang would now be more hostile towards Zuko than ever. Plus Sokka was too busy looking out for a signal to do anything more than mumble a few details to Aang and the newly wakened Earth King.

"Pardon me for interrupting," The Earth King started, his manners impeccable as ever. "But what sort of signal are we looking for?"

Sokka was about to snap back that he didn't know, when the world went black, as though he had suddenly shut his eyes. But Sokka's eyes were open, and when he glanced up to where the moon had been just a few moments earlier, there was nothing there apart from the smooth night sky.

"That kind." Aang answered, yanking on Appa's reigns so he flew up a few feet into the air.

"It's good that Ba Sing Se can't see us coming now, but the problem is that we can't see where we're going either." The Earth King pointed out. He had only just gotten his sentence out when a ball of shimmering light fell from the sky. It stopped just in front of Appa's head, and hovered forward quickly. Sokka knew immediately that this was Yue, come to guide them in rescuing Katara.

"You just need to have a little faith." Sokka told the Earth King, smiling, not taking his eyes off the shining light.

He may not have been so relieved if he had known that every Waterbender in the world had just collapsed through lack of energy, his little sister included. He would've been even less relieved if he had realized that the world worked through balance, and Yue was risking a lot more than any of them thought by taking the moon away from the world.

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Katara fell to the floor as Zuko watched on, his eyes wide. He wasn't fast enough to catch her before her head connected with the ground, and it made a horrible crack that reverberated around the chamber. Wincing, Zuko hurriedly knelt down beside Katara, to check if she was alright. She was unconscious, that was plain to see, and there was a small head wound where she had just smacked her head.

Zuko sharply turned his head to Azula.

"What did you do?" He snarled, his voice demanding an answer.

"I didn't do anything." Azula replied. When Zuko stood up menacingly, she shrugged. "For the first time in my life I'm actually telling the truth."

It was obvious Zuko didn't believe his sister. But Katara was alive, and that was all that mattered. Still, it wouldn't stop Zuko going all out in attacking his sister.

He allowed cool flames lick at his wrists, but the only thing he felt was a consuming hatred for his sister right now. Even if she hadn't hurt Katara, she had hurt them all before and she deserved to pay. Now.

Flames now engulfed his hands, and Zuko stared coldly at his sister, for once betraying no emotion. Beside him Toph stamped up another boulder and Iroh prepared to strike lightning again.

"Haven't we been through this?" Azula asked, her eyes glittering at Zuko, who nodded.

"I'll repeat the attack until you give up."

"I'll evade the attack until _you_ give up." Azula retaliated, smirking.

_Enough, _Zuko thought, and literally fired. Just as his attack was about to hit Azula, there was an enormous crash and three figures fell through the roof of the cavern, causing everyone to duck instinctively.

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The glowing ball of light steadily moved on, guiding Appa through the blackness. Sokka was not at all concerned; he trusted Yue implicitly and would follow this ball of light to the ends of the Earth if necessary. Luckily, they didn't have to go that far. After only a few minutes of flying, the light began to drop towards what Sokka could only assume was Ba Sing Se. The world was still engulfed in the darkness of eternal night, which was a blessing in almost as many ways as it was a curse.

The people on the bison were ghostly illuminated by the brightness of the ball of light, but it was not enough to see each other properly. Good thing too, because Sokka's face was an expression of fear and sadness, something he did not want the others seeing.

As Appa descended, Sokka grasped his boomerang tightly, prepared for whatever the Fire Nation threw at him. He wasn't about to let Katara lose another battle with the Fire Nation. This time she would have her big brother to back her up. The Earth King was silent, and Sokka realized with a slight pang of guilt that he hadn't bothered to find out the Earth King's name in over a week of being in the same camp as him.

"So…" Sokka started, wanting to at least find out the Earth King's name before they went into battle together. "What's your name?"

_Not so subtle, _Sokka inwardly groaned. But it was effective, as the Earth King's voice spoke softly through the darkness:

"Kuei. My name is Kuei."

"That's good to know. For awhile I thought your name was just 'The Earth King' " Sokka joked.

"I'm sure many people did." Kuei said, his voice soft and sad. "I've never met anyone from my so-called kingdom, and I have been the King for many years now."

"That's all about to change." Sokka told him. He hoped his voice was confident, because Gods knew that he wasn't. "We're going to beat the Fire Nation and get your kingdom back."

_And then maybe Appa _will_ propose to Azula…it's about as likely._

The city was silent when Appa landed, and mysteriously every single lamp visible had been extinguished, leaving Ba Sing Se almost as black as the sky. Still, Yue's light was still guiding them, pausing whenever they did, and making sure to never be out of their sight. When the streets got too narrow for Appa to fit through, Aang suggested it was best they leave him and Momo there. They were only a couple of streets from the palace entrance anyway…not that they expected to arrive through the palace gates. _Wouldn't want to be _too_ conspicuous_, Sokka thought, following behind Aang as he trailed the light. The Earth King - _Kuei_, Sokka corrected himself - was behind Sokka, occasionally sighing and muttering under his breath things that neither Sokka or Aang could hear.

Finally the light stopped and hovered above a plain looking piece of concrete. Sokka and Aang exchanged puzzled glances, each just being able to see the other by the eerie yet beautiful light.

"Is it just me or is this…"

"…a piece of solid earth?" Aang finished. "It's not just you."

"Okay then. Glad we cleared that up." Sokka said, peering down at the ground. "So what do we do now?"

There was a moment of silence, as everyone contemplated what they were supposed to do. The light did not leave, but drifted unhelpfully to the side, as though waiting for them to do something.

"I assume the place we're trying to get to is underneath the concrete?" Kuei asked, pushing his small glasses up the bridge of his nose. "So all we, or Aang, has to do is Earthbend our way down there?"

Sokka felt immediately stupid that he had not thought of this himself, but didn't say anything, assuming Aang felt the same.

"I don't know if I'm strong enough yet to Earthbend all the concrete through…" Aang mumbled, as if ashamed. He looked away from his friends, his eyes downcast.

There was a moment of silence while each of them digested this. Then, Sokka turned to Kuei.

"I don't suppose you can Earthbend?" Sokka asked, joking.

"I don't know…" Kuei replied, frowning. "I've never tried. I've always assumed I couldn't…"

Sokka stared at Kuei, dumbstruck, for a few seconds. Even Aang looked up in disbelief.

"You're kidding, right?" Sokka asked finally. Kuei shook his head to indicate that he wasn't kidding.

Sokka slapped his forehead with his palm and groaned, something he hadn't done properly since meeting the nomads. He switched off as Aang quickly went through the finer details of Earthbending, then did a short demonstration, managing to shift half of the concrete.

"Now just do what I do…" Aang coaxed, showing Kuei the technique needed to move the earth. "Good. Now just raise your arm a little…yeah, that's right. Now push!"

Aang and Kuei pushed at the same time, and the concrete moved more than it had before, creating a pit which had no visible bottom. Sokka leaned precariously over the edge and examined the pit. It was wide enough to fit five people on side-by-side, which was good, since there only needed to be three.

"Guess that means I can Earthbend?" Kuei asked wearily.

"Guess it means you can." Aang confirmed. "And you're a pretty powerful one at that if you got a hang of that move so quickly."

Kuei nodded faintly, still slightly shocked at his display of talent he never knew he had.

The ball of light suddenly sprang back into action and flew down the pit, illuminating the bottom. It was quite a way down, but Sokka had to save Katara and the others (except Zuko, he didn't care about him) so a little thing like jumping a few feet didn't really bother him.

Kuei and Aang went first, followed by Sokka. The Earthbenders shoved the earth aside as quickly as they could and carried on climbing down, always being shown the way by Yue's guiding light.

When it felt like they had been descending for awhile, Sokka thought of something.

"Aang…" He started, as Aang and Kuei carried on Earthbending their way down. "What if Yue's leading us back to the crystal catacombs? You said they were underground, right?"

Aang stopped briefly to consider this, wiping his sweaty brow while he did and breathing heavily.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean-"

With one last enormous push, what turned out to be the last of the earth was flung aside, leaving nothing to stand on. Before he knew what was happening, Sokka was falling continually downwards with nothing but solid rock to break his fall.

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Looking up, Zuko saw the Avatar, Katara's brother and a man he didn't know plummet from the top of the cavern. They had created a large amount of debris from their fall, but that wasn't the main concern right now. If they didn't do something soon, they would smack straight into the ground and break every bone in their body.

Suddenly a shimmering ball of what looked like moonlight dropped beside the falling three and positioned itself underneath them, spreading out rapidly so it formed what looked like a blanket.

One by one the Avatar, Sokka and the man landed safely in the light, which enveloped them gently and brought them slowly down to where Zuko was standing protectively over Katara. Opening up, Sokka was the first to stand up, clutching his head and wincing.

"Remind me not to do that again." He said to no one in particular, stepping forward uneasily towards his sister.

"Get away from her." Sokka snarled to Zuko, who narrowed his eyes back. "What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything!" Zuko snapped back, crouching beside Katara and picking her up, bridal style.

"Just like you didn't do anything last time?" Sokka hissed, almost baring his teeth in anger.

Meanwhile Toph had rushed over to Aang and was helping him up, uncharacteristically checking feverishly if he was alright.

"Your timing is impeccable, I'll give you that." Toph laughed, as she helped Aang up.

"Now come on Twinkletoes, lets go fight the bad guys."

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_**A/N:**_

_**So crappy end to the chapter I know, but aren't you proud of how fast I updated:D I won't be online for the next few days because of exams, and I didn't want to leave it too long until my next update. I still need to do my business homework due in tomorrow, so I couldn't check over this chapter properly. Please tell me if there are any spelling or grammar mistakes, or things you don't understand. I tried not to make this a cliffhanger chapter, and this was the ending I came up with :/**_

_**Thanks for your reviews, they are very much appreciated, please leave a review on your way out :D**_

_**- Momo**_


	33. Shatter

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

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Aang allowed himself to be pulled up by Toph. As he tried to find his footing, he fretted over what would have happened if Yue hadn't saved them. Aang should've been able to airbend them to safety, but as he was falling it seemed like all feeling left his body. He had terrifying, but momentary, flashbacks of the previous week, when Azula had shot him down. Back then he had been confused and scared, not to mention in sudden excruciating pain. Just then when he was falling, however, all he could think about was how, when he hit the floor, it would all be over. He would be gone from the world, reborn into another poor body. Sure, the war may be lost and people he loved would die…but it would be over.

And in the moment of thinking that, Aang welcomed death.

And in the moment afterwards, Aang felt disgusted with himself. He would _not_ leave everyone behind, not again. He was strong, dammit, and he would live through this. He would triumph against the Fire Lord and he would live a full and happy life, preferably with someone he loved.

But first he needed to get his friends out of Ba Sing Se. The first step on the road to victory would be difficult, but not impossible. This time their side had the upper hand, and would not lose.

Steadying himself with Toph's help, Aang looked around the people standing close to him. With a jolt to his heart, Aang saw Zuko standing protectively over an unconscious Katara, arguing with Sokka. Incensed, Aang stumbled over to where Zuko stood and glared at him.

"What are you doing here?" He spat, leaning on Toph for support.

"Cool it, Twinkletoes, he's with us." Toph said gently. Aang turned to her as best he could without falling over, his eyes narrowed in anger.

"He is _not_ with us!" He hissed, his voice filled with such venom that Toph's blind eyes widened and she lowered her head.

"That isn't up to you!" Zuko said, stepping away from Katara and towards Aang. The anger in his voice was evident, and his body language was aggressive.

"Oh no?" Aang yelled, breaking away from Toph and taking a faltering step forward.

"Stop it." A weak voice murmured from below them. Each of the boys looked down to see a drained Katara trying to sit up, and each boy immediately got to his knees to try to assist.

However, this didn't go down very well. Sokka, Zuko and Aang were getting in each other's way and were to busy snarling at each other to notice that Katara had managed to sit up by herself. She glanced over at the bickering boys and rolled her eyes.

"Iroh, would you mind?" She asked, holding up a hand.

Iroh nodded, smiling, and held out his own hand to help Katara up. After regaining her footing, Katara quickly looked about the chamber for any sign of Azula, but she found none. Instead, a speck of light hovered before her eyes, shining and beautiful. Just as Katara was about to touch the light, it flew into her mouth. She coughed, startled, and cleared her throat.

_Something isn't right…_she thought suspiciously. Her arms felt like lead and she was so tired, but Katara felt the strength returning, at first slowly, then much faster. After about a minute, Katara felt as replenished and rested as she had before she had been captured. She took a breath as a sudden burst of power and energy ran through her body. She hadn't felt this way before, but enjoyed the feeling immensely. Katara felt connected to every drop of water in the cavern, and somehow knew that with a mere flick of her wrist she could cause a tsunami.

Meanwhile Sokka and Zuko were at each other's throats, and Aang was trying to get an angry word in edgeways. Rolling her eyes again, Katara shook her head.

"That's enough!" She commanded, her clear voice ringing out across the chamber.

Everyone stopped at that, and turned to face her. They seemed startled.

"What?" Katara asked, a little sharply. A couple of them looked away uncomfortably. Katara sighed, and turned away herself, aware of how harsh her voice must have sounded.

"Where did Azula go?" The Earth King asked suddenly. Katara jumped, having forgotten he was there.

"We don't know, uh-"

"Kuei." The Earth King told her gently. Katara nodded, surprised he even had a first name.

"Okay Kuei, we don't know where she went." Katara told him, glancing around the cavern once more.

"She's still here." Iroh said quietly. When everyone turned to him, he shrugged. "Do you think she'd let us win that easily?"

"He's right, you know." Azula's voice rang out. Immediately, everyone assumed their attacking stance and summoned their respective element or weapon. The Earth King fumbled a bit for a piece of earth, before giving up and withdrawing a dagger. However Azula didn't show herself.

"Where are you?" Zuko growled lowly, so that only Katara could hear him. She was glad she had moved nearer to Zuko; both so that he could protect her and she could protect him.

Looking around the people surrounding her, Katara felt a rush of confidence swell up inside of her.

Her family was back together. And, okay, there were some new and unexpected additions, but they were still family. And family stuck together.

_We can beat this bitch…_Katara thought, a thin smile resting upon her lips.

"Come on out Azula!" She shouted, her eyes scanning the length of the cavern, the smile still in place.

"Katara, what are you doing?" Zuko muttered out of the corner of his mouth.

"Yeah Sugar Queen," Toph told her, not being quite as soft as Zuko in her volume. "What's the deal?"

"Sugar Queen?" Azula's mocking laughter came echoing across the cavern. "Does she have stupid nicknames for everyone, or just you?"

"It's not just her…" Sokka and Aang groaned simultaneously, their eyes darting around somewhat nervously.

"Oh goody," Azula said sarcastically. "Do I get a nickname?"

"Well I was thinking something along the lines of 'Psychotic Bitch' but I'll need to consult Toph…I'm sure she can come up with something more poetic."

Several of the people surrounding Katara openly laughed at her insult, boosting her confidence even further. Zuko smirked and glanced at Katara in approval. Katara felt herself glowing, but this feeling vanished as a stream of bright blue fire shot at her, missing her feet by inches.

"Next time I shoot, I won't miss." Azula threatened coldly. Katara dragged her eyes away from the burning flame by her foot and turned, now fearful, around the chamber. Azula had just proved that she could kill them where they stood and they couldn't do a thing about it. Was she hiding in plain sight? Or cleverly concealed?

"Hand over the Avatar."

"No." Katara replied firmly, casting her eyes about wildly for a sign of attack. She subconsciously took a step closer to Zuko, her brow furrowed in ill-disguised fear.

Suddenly a sharp blade came flying down to Katara's left, causing her to shriek involuntarily and jump back. Regaining her composure (and trying her hardest not to feel embarrassed) Katara looked around once more.

"We've got you surrounded." Came Mai's voice, as boring and monotonous as ever. "You might as well give him to us."

"You might as well come down here and fight, cowards!" Toph yelled. "Not that you stand a chance anyway!"

Another arrow flew downwards, cutting through the air and purposefully missing Toph by mere inches.

"I can do this all day." Mai sighed. "But I have got other things to do, you know."

_Go off and do them then! _Katara thought bitterly, but now knew better than to say anything. Mai and Azula were toying with them, and she had no idea where Ty Lee was. _Probably waiting in the wings somewhere…_

"Mai's right." Azula said, sounding as though she was thinking something over. "I have a war to win. Hand over the Avatar or I may lose my patience."

"You won't win the war, and you won't get the Avatar!" Zuko shouted angrily, his eyes narrowed. From the corner of her eye, Katara saw Sokka and Aang exchange surprised glances.

"Let me guess, that's your job, right?" Azula asked maliciously. Again, when Katara glanced sideways she saw Sokka and Aang swap _"now that's more like it" _looks. Rolling her eyes at their lack of faith, Katara kept a firm grasp on the cool water hovering between her palms, itching to be used in an attack.

"I've changed." Zuko replied, throwing a quick smile at Katara. Azula didn't miss this.

"It was stupid to side with your Water Tribe whore, Zuzu." She called out, and Katara could hear the triumphant smirk in her voice. "Luckily you won't live to regret it."

Out of nowhere a bolt of lightning hurtled towards them, specifically aimed at Zuko. The following scene occurred as though in slow motion.

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Zuko knew what was coming, and he was more than prepared. He had figured out where Azula was awhile ago: perched in the crystals that stuck out of the walls near the roof of the cavern. Rather than attacking, he would let Azula come to him, revealing her hiding place so everyone else stood a chance of attacking her if Zuko failed.

Zuko was careful not to face or talk directly to where Azula was hidden, but with her final words he swiftly twisted himself in her direction. Raising his arms in anticipation, Zuko cleared his mind and aimed one arm at the oncoming lightning, and one at the ceiling, a few metres in front of where his companions were stood.

_I can take it…_Zuko thought through gritted teeth as he felt the lightning connect with his fingertips and travel through them, moving quickly through his body. Everything suddenly felt cold, and Zuko daren't breathe for fear it would disrupt the lightning's path. Travelling rapidly through his chest, his heart tingled uncomfortably, and for one terrifying moment Zuko thought the lightning had struck his heart. But no, the feeling quickly passed, leaving his whole body charged up for the final phase. The lightning weaved its way vertically up his arm, and gave one last sting as it erupted from Zuko's fingertips in an explosion of light and heat.

_I can take it…_Zuko thought again, triumphantly, _…and now I can give it back!_

Keeping his arm directed up was a strain; it felt like the lightning was dragging him down. Every muscle in his body ached, but he would not give up, especially not now. Not now that they were so close.

The tip of the lightning collided with the roof, shattering the solid rock and crystals and showering everyone in the chamber with debris. As more and more lightning crashed into the rock the noise became louder and louder, almost unbearably so. Just as Zuko planned, the cavern was collapsing.

The end of the lightning finally left his fingertips, following its predecessor and splintering the roof into shards of rock. Around him there was panic, chaos, but Zuko didn't register this. His head was spinning unpleasantly, and his knees wavered dangerously beneath him. Around him people he knew were shouting things, possibly to him, but nothing was registering except the overpowering urge to collapse. He lost the fight to stay upright, and fell painfully to his knees.

"Zuko." A voice murmured in his ear. "Zuko, come on, we have to go."

"Katara?" He murmured, unsure of what he was hearing.

"That was a very brave thing you did." Katara told him, grasping his arm and pulling as hard as she could to try to pull him up again. "But if you don't get up right now then it'll have been in vain."

Zuko resisted her pleas, and remained stubbornly on the ground. He needed to rest right now, couldn't she see that?

"Oh for Gods' sake…" Katara muttered, temporarily letting go of Zuko's arm as he closed his eyes.

_Good, she's left me- _Zuko started to think, before being rudely interrupted by a slap of water to the face. The water was cold and refreshing, and forced his eyes open. Everything swam into focus and his head immediately became clearer and more aware to the danger they were in.

"Better?" Katara asked, before taking hold of his arm again. This time when she pulled, Zuko didn't resist. He tried as hard as he could to stand up, and his perseverance paid off as he stayed on his feet, only wobbling slightly. Taking a deep breath, Zuko composed himself and felt much better.

_Damn, _he thought, glancing at Katara, _what the hell was in that water?_

Beyond Katara stood the rest of the group, all glancing anxiously either at him or the rapidly crumbling ceiling.

"Don't just stand there!" Zuko scoffed, starting to run. "Come on!"

The others were happy to oblige, and soon sprinted after him, occasionally throwing back glances to check no one was falling behind. Several times they had to hurl themselves out of the way of falling rocks, which were becoming larger and larger, but they immediately got back up and carried on running. Eventually Toph became tired of dodging the rocks and created three walls to their left, right and back, which moved as they ran. Crystal shards and rocks slammed hard onto the walls, but they never succeeded through despite the crashing sound each made upon impact.

"I don't remember the entrance being this far away." Katara mused, but no one heard her, too busy concentrating on running.

Iroh and Kuei fronted the group, followed by Sokka and Katara. Zuko ran just behind Katara, never allowing her to leave his sight. Aang stayed at the back with Toph, assisting with the stone walls that proved to be their shield.

"Just a little further!" Iroh yelled to Kuei, who nodded, gathering up his robes and proceeding to run even faster to keep up with Iroh.

"You are remarkable for someone your age!" Kuei shouted to Iroh, who laughed.

"You think it's easy training Prince Zuko?" He replied, wincing as a large boulder hurtled into the side wall, cracking it slightly. Nevertheless the wall quickly resumed it's smoothness, and Iroh knew they were all safe.

The exit to the cavern lay only a few feet ahead, and although beyond the archway lay uncomforting darkness, Iroh had never seen such a sweeter sight in all his life.

The second Iroh and Kuei plunged past the archway, they were swallowed in blackness. The sounds of more people rushing in soon stopped, and after that all was silent for a moment.

Then came the terrifying yet unmistakeable sounds of a cave-in, just beyond them. They weren't out of the woods yet.

"Toph?" Sokka's voice asked, higher-pitched than normal through panic.

"I'm on it!" Toph replied loudly. "Come on Twinkletoes, little help!"

The sounds of the collapsing rock was moving swiftly towards them, and Katara was about to yell out in panic when the ground beneath her began to twist, at first slowly then faster. When it was spinning at a certain pace, it lifted off the ground with a jerk, and they all fell sideways. Still in pitch black, Katara remained where she was for fear that if she moved then she would fall off the piece of rock that was supporting them all.

Just then light briefly illuminated their surroundings to reveal Zuko on his feet, sending short fire blasts into the air. Following his nephew's example, Iroh stood up, at first shakily, then sent blasts up in the intervals of Zuko's fire. Because of this there was, albeit dim, light almost constantly. The rock had decreased in its speed and Katara sat up and looked around. Faintly she could still hear the crumbling of rocks, but it seemed much farther away now…or maybe the noise was just being blocked by Toph's occasional instructions/insults to Aang and Kuei, who had offered his assistance. Truth be told, the Earth King wasn't helping at all, or at least not much, but he followed Aang and Toph's movements and seemed to think he was being useful.

_He's of more use than I am right now, _Katara thought grouchily. She couldn't do anything until she reached the surface, and even then without proper water supply her bending would be limited. So she just sat and watched her new suddenly larger family struggle and fight as they always had done, be it in something trivial or something like this, which depended on their lives.

"Twinkletoes, Clueless, can you hold this?" Toph shouted, "I need to bust open the roof."

"Clueless?" The Earth King muttered distastefully.

"She's under a lot of pressure, I'm sure she'll come up with a better nickname later." Katara soothed, trying to conceal a smile.

"Why?" Sokka shrugged. "That one fits alright."

"But it's not very nice." Katara argued.

"Sugar Queen, Snoozles, Twinkletoes, Scarface -"

"Point taken." Katara grumbled, secretly pleased. She had missed the short and pointless bickering with Sokka almost as much as she had missed him and Aang.

Just a few feet above them was the solid stone roof, that didn't look like it would budge without a fight. Toph had manoeuvred herself into the middle of the rock, and placed her hands up as far above her head as they would go.

"It might be a good idea to cover your heads!" Toph shouted to the group. "I'm not exactly sure if this is going to work!"

"What?!" Shrieked Sokka in a voice at least five times higher than his normal one.

"Cool it Snoozles, and don't doubt me!" Toph barked, lowering her hands and turning to snap at him. Then, quick as a whip, she twisted around and threw her hands up in the air, her face set and determined.

Katara clung onto Sokka and squeezed her eyes shut, prepared for the impact if Toph somehow failed. Sokka wrapped his arms around his little sister and hugged her protectively to him, looking up at Toph with respect and faith.

_C'mon Toph…you can do this…_He thought as the rock they were on suddenly gained speed and they moved even faster to the ceiling.

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Pushing upwards, Toph felt the full force of the rock as she tried to shatter it. Almost as stubborn as her, the solid stone refused to move without persuasion. When persuasion didn't work, Toph breathed deep and pushed upwards harder than she ever had before.

_For the world's greatest Earthbender you're not doing a very good job! _She scolded herself, feeling the stone still resisting slightly.

"Budge." She muttered through gritted teeth, and at last she felt the stone give way, tearing apart under her hands. Rock flew everywhere, and Toph's hands were cut in various places. But still, they were through.

Although through where, she didn't know. Dust had exploded along with the rocks, and for a few moments everyone's vision was obscured by a hazy layer of air. Even though Toph couldn't see the dust, every time she breathed it in she could feel it in her throat, and joined in her companions in coughing. As far as she could tell, everyone had been thrown to the floor after they had busted through the roof, but they were all breathing at least. The floor below them was polished and smooth, probably tile of some sort, Toph deduced.

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Aang, like everyone else, was flung from the rock as soon as the roof splintered apart and landed on a hard flooring. Dust had risen up, making it hard to breathe, let alone see. His ribs ached fiercely from landing uncomfortably, and he took several deep breaths to make his heartbeat regular again.

As soon as he felt able, he stood up and, using his staff which had miraculously managed to stay intact, blew all the dust away with Airbending.

The moment he had, and the dust vanished, Aang regretted his actions. Stood around him and his friends stood at least half an army's worth of Dai Li agents, already in their attacking stances. His eyes widened, and he immediately tried to think of anything that wouldn't get his friends killed on the spot.

"We're…with Azula." He said, grinning sheepishly.

_That was the worst lie I've ever come up with, _he mentally groaned just moments after.

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_**A/N:**_

_**The last cliff-hanger of this fanfic…it's a special moment :P Anyway, I'm quite proud of this chapter, so I hope you enjoyed it :D The speck of light was Yue, giving Katara extra strength, more on that next chapter. Also, more on what happened to Azula and co.**_

_**Mum's forcing me off the computer, so I couldn't check through all of it. Please tell me if there are any mistakes.**_

_**I have a proposition for you. If people give me reviews then I'll update much faster, by Monday at the latest. I like reviews, they make me happy, lol. I have been ridiculously stressed this week (again) because of exams and coursework and knowing people are enjoying my fanfic would give me a boost…**_

_**(little emotional blackmail there XD)**_

_**Next chapter is probably going to be the penultimate chapter, which is why I cliffhanged this chapter. Have a good (however long it is until I next update) everyone!**_

_**- Momo**_


	34. Freedom

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

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Zuko shut his eyes and mentally groaned. The Avatar had _not_ just said what he think he said. "We're with Azula" was easily the most idiotic thing Zuko had ever heard the child say, and that included the "We can get along and be friends" speech awhile ago.

The Dai Li didn't seem to buy this pathetic excuse for a lie either, if the way they tightened their grip on the boulders was any indication. Although tired, Zuko was still up for a fight if the Dai Li attacked. He needed to protect Katara and his uncle at any costs, and a little fatigue wasn't about to stop him.

Swiftly glancing around, Zuko discerned that they were in the throne room, and that luckily Azula was not on the throne. Not that he had expected her to be after causing the cavern to collapse, but it was Azula. You could never be too sure.

Zuko's legs shook for a moment, and then returned to normal. He guessed that redirecting Azula's lightning seemed to have taken a lot out of him, but he was just glad to be alive. Admittedly it _had _been risky, but otherwise Azula would've harmed the Avatar, or worse, Katara.

Courtesy of a side-long glance, Zuko could see that Katara was afraid. She tried to mask it bravely, but her eyes gave her away. The deep pools of cerulean were shining with fear and Zuko wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and tell her that everything would be okay.

_You can do that later, _Zuko told himself, _but for now you have to figure out a way of leaving this city alive._

"Azula is dead." He blurted out suddenly. Every single one of the agents turned to stare at him, and most of his companions turned with them. Katara in particular, because she was the closest, was giving him odd looks. Zuko raised his eyebrows momentarily, telling her to play along.

"It's true." Katara said, much to Zuko's relief. It was obvious she had no idea what she was saying, but he was immensely grateful to her for going with his idea. "We saw it with our own eyes."

There was a long pause, in which Zuko held his breath. The Dai Li weren't going to fall for this lie, that was obvious, so now it was just a case of who was going to attack first.

"Princess Azula is not dead." One agent said sternly. "She has just sent a message to us requiring our immediate assistance. It appears the underground city has collapsed." The agent paused. "But you wouldn't have anything to do with that, would you?"

"Of course we did." Toph scoffed, before anyone had a chance to deny it.

Seemingly thrown by this honest answer, none of the agents spoke for a moment. However, they didn't release their boulders either.

"You could have risked Ba Sing Se collapsing." An agent spoke up finally. "If you had penetrated any more rock it could've caused a major landslide."

"But it didn't." Toph said, deliberately slowly. "So why don't you just go on and get out of our way like good little obedient agents?"

"How can I put this…?" Another agent mused. "No."

"Azula may not be dead," Iroh spoke up, "but had it not been for your agents then she would've been crushed in the landslide that one of us created."

Katara glanced at Zuko proudly, and discreetly squeezed his hand. Zuko smiled back and turned to face the agents.

"Amongst our group there are four masters, one for each element. We have the Avatar on our side. We have skills in weaponry. Combined, we can cause destruction on a very, very large scale. So whatever you think Azula may do to you, it's nothing compared to what we'll do if you don't _move out of the way_." Zuko hissed the last parts dangerously, his eyes narrowed.

"I think what he's trying to say is that if you don't move, we'll kill you." Sokka added helpfully, smiling.

Every single one of the Avatar's group knew that no one would die tonight at their hands, but the Dai Li didn't need to know that. Zuko's little speech had the agents glancing at each other nervously.

"You've never killed before." One agent sneered, quickly glancing at his fellow agents, as if for support.

"No one's ever stood in our way before." Katara told him coldly, her eyes as icy as her voice. "And I'm sure you'd hate to be the first ones."

As if on cue, every member of the Avatar's group withdrew either their element or their weapon.

"It's your choice really." Aang said, in a pleasant voice that had an uncharacteristically menacing undertone to it.

"You-you're just a bunch of kids!" One agent spluttered, realizing that they were losing the battle of words.

Aang stepped forward, and pointed out his companions one by one.

"Waterbending master. Broadswords expert. Firebending Master. Earth King. Warrior. Earthbending master. " Aang paused, and then pointed to himself. "Avatar."

"I think we have the advantage." Toph said. "Now get the hell out of our way, I'm getting tired of this conversation." She stamped the floor harshly, directing it in front of her so that the earthy tile shook and the Dai Li fell to the floor. The boulders that they had been controlling fell to the floor with an almighty noise, but not one of the Avatar's group flinched.

"See, isn't it nice when we all agree on something?" Sokka asked patronizingly. He turned to his friends. "We better go."

There was an assortment of agreeing murmurs and slowly they began to move to the large, fancy doors at the other end of the large room. The Dai Li all stood up, but with a few well-placed water whips from Katara, they were all back on the ground again. Each time one of them attempted to get back up, one of the benders would send a mild attack that would have them crawling back on the floor again.

"Try any Earthbending and I'll throw you out the window." Toph called back absently, as if she thought the task not even a worthy challenge for her to put some threat into her voice.

"I bet they hate taking orders from a twelve year old girl." Zuko muttered in Katara's ear, making her giggle. Zuko smiled himself, loving the sound of Katara's laugh.

Walking in a group meant it took awhile for them all to get out of the throne room, even though there were only seven of them.

"I don't want to risk any surprise attacks." Aang told them when they had safely slammed the doors shut. "Toph, you're at the front with me. Iroh and Katara, you stay at the back. Kuei and Sokka, behind me. Zuko, stay in front of Katara and your uncle."

Without dispute, they all stood where Aang had instructed. Soon they were walking towards the palace entrance, wordlessly. However Sokka kept throwing dirty looks back at Zuko, who returned them in full force. After glaring at Zuko, Sokka quickly turned his softened gaze to his bemused younger sister, then sharply back at Zuko again.

The walk to the doors that meant they escaped the palace was agonizingly long, only made worse by the uncomfortable silence. Katara realized suddenly that Aang and Sokka would have no idea why Zuko had suddenly joined them, and why he wasn't trying to kill any of them.

_Wait until they find out we're dating…I don't want to be a part of that conversation, _Katara thought, smiling softly. Of course Aang would probably be devastated and Sokka would go insane with rage, but it'd be alright in the end. It had to be.

"Why is he here?" Sokka asked suddenly, breaking the silence. Katara glanced at Zuko, then walked up to her brother.

"He's here because he helped us to escape Azula." She said gently.

"Not when it counted. If it wasn't for him we wouldn't have had to go through all this in the first place." Sokka snarled, glaring at Zuko again.

"If it wasn't for him we'd all be dead." Katara snapped back, "So maybe you should be a little more grateful."

"One good thing doesn't erase all the bad things." Sokka said stubbornly, and Katara knew that it would take him awhile to come around to the idea of accepting Zuko.

"What are you doing here anyway?" She asked, trying to change the subject. "Last time I check you don't go falling through roofs of strange places."

"It's a long, complicated story." Sokka said by way of explanation.

Katara raised her eyebrows expectantly, but Sokka said nothing more. Rolling her eyes, Katara walked back to her position and carried on walking in silence.

The whole group was tense and ready for any impending attack as they drew nearer the double doors they would escape from. Katara withdrew some water she still had in her pouch and began twirling it around her fingers absently. The water, she noticed a few moments later, had an unusual blue glowing effect to it, one that she hadn't noticed before. Also, this liquid seemed somehow _smoother_ that what she was used to; it felt like wispy silk curling delicately around her fingers. Had the water always been like this? Surely not. Truth be told, in the catacombs and in the throne room she hadn't been paying much attention to the water, so wouldn't know if it had had the luminous effect then. Confused, Katara bended the glowing water so it enveloped her hand and made herself heal a small cut just below her thumb. The water shone even brighter and Katara squinted at her hand, which was now completely devoid of any dirt or injuries.

"Okay…" She murmured, frowning in confusion. What separated this water from the water she had been using previously she didn't know, but something weird was going on. Which meant that everything was back to normal.

"Something the matter?" Iroh asked gently, noticing Katara's expression and the water. Katara jumped and her eyes flicked to Iroh's soft golden ones.

"No, I just-"

"It appears the water is glowing."

"Yeah." Katara said lamely. "Any idea what that's about?"

"None I'm afraid." Iroh said, shaking his head, then adding brightly, "But I'm sure that it's nothing bad."

Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on how you looked at it, Katara didn't have to wait long to test Iroh's theory out. No sooner had the group cautiously opened the palace doors and walked tentatively outside, were they met with the sight of about a hundred Dai Li agents obstructing the way at the bottom of the numerous steps.

"No way!" Toph complained loudly, having apparently sensed the vibrations of the Dai Li.

"Way." Aang replied miserably. He sighed heavily and turned back to the group. "We'll just have to fight our way out."

"The Dai Li are standing right next to a bank of water, I can wipe them all out in one go." Katara said confidently, then hesitated. "It'd only be temporary though, considering how many agents there are."

"It's a good start." Aang said, scanning the agents briefly. Katara could tell even in the weak moonlight that he was close to giving up; his shoulders were slumped and his voice lacked its normal spark and animation.

_He's just a little tired, _Katara thought frantically. She and Toph hadn't been there to properly witness the consequences of Aang being shot by lightning, so she was praying that tiredness was the only after-effect. Suddenly angry with everyone who had caused the young Avatar pain, Katara turned to the collective agents below her, still visible even though it must have been very late, considering the darkness still covering Ba Sing Se like a gothic blanket.

"Perhaps now would be a good time to use the water, Miss Katara." Iroh suggested quietly. Nodding, she withdrew the glowing blue liquid and prised apart her palms, causing a stream of shimmering water.

She narrowed her eyes in hatred as she pushed the liquid downwards and in the direction of her targets. The water shot down faster than Katara had ever seen it do before, and slammed into the lines of Dai Li agents, sending them all flying back. As they landed some feet back with a hard thud, Katara raised her eyebrows in surprise at the power of the water, but did not hesitate in bringing it back and repeating the attack as many times as needed.

"Come on!" She called to the others through gritted teeth as she started to descend down the steps. The shimmering water sliced through the air on its way back, and Katara deftly caught it and flung it back.

"What's with the water?" Sokka asked, quickly following behind his sister.

"I don't know, but whatever it is, it's pretty powerful." Aang replied, his feet only lightly touching each step on the way down. "Half the Dai Li agents can't even stand any more."

"Why aren't they fighting back?" Kuei asked, panting as he struggled to hurry down the steps.

"They don't have time." Iroh replied, throwing a glance back at the Earth King. "Katara is giving all she's got, and then some."

"Yeah," Zuko said, smiling proudly at the Water Tribe girl ahead of him. "She is."

He didn't know how their relationship would work with all the Avatar's friends back together, but he was determined to make it work somehow. Even if he risked his life by telling both the Avatar and Katara's brother that he was in love with her, it wouldn't matter. It had taken him too long to find someone like Katara, and he wasn't about to give her up without a fight.

Trying not to fall down these seemingly never-ending steps _and _concentrating on preoccupying the Dai Li agents was proving to be too much for Katara. She still had no idea where this miracle water had come from, but it was working its magic perfectly; the remaining Dai Li agents left standing were swaying and appeared disorientated.

_Just one last attack, _Katara thought, glancing down at her feet momentarily to check she wasn't about to trip up. _If I can force them all into the river then I can freeze the water and we can get away safely…_

The shining blue water came dashing back to her, and Katara skilfully ensnared it and took a deep breath.

"Stop!" She shouted to her friends, coming to a halt herself. There were still tens of steps left to run down, and Katara felt she had to put her undivided attention and energy into this move. "Aang, back me up on this." Katara instructed her young friend. "If there are any remaining agents left then push them into the river. I don't care how, just make sure they don't drown." She didn't want to be responsible for any deaths that she could have prevented, regardless of their previous crimes.

Katara felt a warm hand on her shoulder and looked behind her. Zuko stood there, giving her a small smile. His bright golden eyes spoke louder than words ever could; he was proud of her and he loved her.

Trying to contain the smile that wanted to spread across her face, Katara turned back to the front and breathed deeply. Then, without hesitation, she hurled the water so hard that it made her shoulders jolt slightly. Cutting through the air noiselessly, the water smacked into the few agents that were still standing and pushed them into the water with such force that upon impact, their bodies made a nasty slapping noise. Immediately the water in the river glowed a blinding blue and froze.

"Wow." Toph murmured. "That sounded painful."

"We have to get going." Sokka instructed, ignoring Toph's comment and taking charge. "Knowing our luck Azula'll be out any moment."

Every one of the group, besides Toph, glanced behind them instinctively just to check that no more unexpected enemies would pop up behind them. Thankfully, nothing was there besides the large stone pillars that supported the front of the palace.

"Don't jinx it, moron." Zuko muttered, as he began to walk down the steps.

"What was that?" Sokka screeched, causing Toph, stood at the side of him, to wince.

"Decibels, Snoozles, decibels!" She cringed. Sokka apologized sheepishly, as he too began to run down the steps.

Soon the pace began to pick up and they all ran down in silence. The unusually dim moon lit their way poorly, and Sokka began to worry if Yue had gotten back to the Spirit World okay. If the moon was weak then that meant that she was too…

Soon reaching the bottom of the steps (_Finally! _Katara thought grouchily) they paused for breath momentarily.

"Where's Appa?" Toph asked, turning to where she could sense Aang was standing.

"A little way from here." Aang replied, breathing heavily. "We had to make sure no one would spot him."

"Appa is your flying bison, yes?" Iroh asked also turning to Aang.

"Yeah." Sokka said instead. "Although what with all the extra people we're taking in we're going to have to trade him in for a flying marquee pretty soon."

"Sokka!" Toph exclaimed at his rudeness, kicking a small bit of earth at him. Dodging the earth, Sokka looked around his sister who would usually be the one to berate him.

Katara stood a little apart from the group, massaging her temple with her fingers with her eyes closed and face masked in pain.

"What's the matter?" Sokka asked worriedly, making his way over to her and began fussing over her.

"I…I don't feel very good." Katara said, her voice trembling. Suddenly she took a sharp intake of breath and her eyes shot open. Instead of the normal sapphire, there was just pure white covering both her entire eyes. As she breathed out, blinding white vapour exhaled also. The vapour dissipated in an instant, and then it was all over. Katara blinked in rapid succession as her breathing returned to normal.

"What was that?" Sokka asked, his own eyes wide.

"I don't know." Katara shrugged. "But I feel better." She examined the remaining water in her pouch, and was surprised to find it had turned back to its normal colour and texture.

"The water isn't glowing anymore." She muttered, more to herself than anyone else.

A moment passed in perplexed silence. Then:

"It's Yue!" Sokka exclaimed, pointing at his sister.

"No." Katara said slowly, raising her eyebrows and pointing at herself. "It's Katara. You know, your sister?"

"No, I mean…" Sokka couldn't seem to get his words out, so turned in a flurry of excitement to Aang. "You know at the North Pole when you turned into that awesome spirit monster thing?" Not waiting for an answer, Sokka continued. "Well Katara's water was the exact same colour as the spirit you controlled!"

"You're aware that you're making no sense at all, aren't you?" Zuko asked coolly.

"I believe I understand what your brother is saying, Katara." Iroh said, his voice pleasantly warm in contrast to his nephew's. "Back in the catacombs, you inhaled a speck of light. Unless I'm mistaken your brother thinks this was Princess Yue."

"It makes more sense when I say it!" Sokka interrupted. There was a pause, then he continued. "Well, it doesn't, but at least I know what I mean. Yue helped us by guiding us to you, and she helped you, Katara, by assisting you in your Waterbending. How else could the water have had that glowing effect going on?"

"It _does_ make sense…" Katara mused, and Aang nodded.

"The moon just got a little brighter." He said, and the all turned up to stare at the luminous orb that lit up the otherwise black sky.

Sokka smiled softly and looked away. When he looked back a moment later, his face was steely and determined.

"We need to get going." He said, his voice matching his expression.

Before them lay the frozen river that the Dai Li were trapped in. Most of them were unconscious, but some were now struggling to free their legs and break out.

"Toph, we'll need a bridge to get past." Sokka instructed.

"No walking on the ice?" Toph asked hopefully.

"No walking on the ice." Sokka confirmed. The ground beneath them started to rumble and shake, and the row of stone slabs nearest the frozen river rose and rearranged themselves so that there was a two-slab width and ten-slab length, enough to reach to the other side.

Although Sokka mentioned they should go single file, Zuko insisted on accompanying Katara across. Katara wondered why he did this, until his warm hand slipped into her cool one. Smiling, she began to walk across the make-shift bridge with her escort. Behind her she could hear Sokka yelling to Zuko:

"There will be no touching of my sister!"

"I'm making sure she doesn't fall!" Zuko called back, unable to keep the smirk from his face.

"Liar." Katara muttered playfully.

"I saved all of your lives, don't you think if we told him how we felt about each other then he'd be okay with it?" Zuko asked quietly.

"That's it, stop holding her hand!" Sokka shouted. "I'd rather her fall than spend another moment with you!"

"I think we should wait awhile." Katara laughed. Zuko, needless to say, had not let got go of her hand. "But that doesn't change anything between us."

"I wouldn't let it." Zuko whispered back. His voice sent pleasant shivers down her spine and Katara had to fight the urge to kiss him there and then.

They reached the other side even though both had been walking deliberately slower than they normally would. Zuko held her hand for a few moments longer, then let go. The cold air rushed to Katara's hands, and she found herself wishing that Zuko would never stop holding her. Soon the others had all crossed in single file, and Toph collapsed the slabs back to their original positions.

"Aang, do you still have that bison whistle?" Sokka asked. "It'd really come in useful for a quick exit right about now."

Aang nodded and withdrew the sculpted whistle in the shape of a bison, silently marvelling at how it had remained intact. He blew on it sharply, then placed it back in his pocket.

"It's broken." Kuei informed the group.

"It isn't." Toph promised. "Even though it's for animals with super-sensitive hearing, like Appa, I can still hear it very faintly."

They waited for a few minutes in silence, the cold night air nipping at any exposed skin. Every moment was spent in fear that suddenly every single Dai Li agent would come rushing out from the palace, Azula and her friends in tow, and attack them all. The only noise was the crickets rustling up their whistling tune, which soon got on Sokka's nerves.

"Can someone shut them up, they're worse than the singing hippies!" He complained.

"Singing hippies?" Zuko repeated quietly to Katara. "There's a lot I don't know about you, isn't there?"

Katara smiled, but remained tight-lipped.

Minutes that felt like years passed slowly, until finally the dim outline of Appa came into view and landed gracefully on the stone ground in front of the large group. The bison groaned to Aang in welcome and Momo jumped off Appa's back, chattering incessantly. The lemur stopped "talking" for a moment as it saw Zuko and Iroh.

"What a charming lemur!" Iroh laughed, and beckoned Momo towards him.

"Uncle, make acquaintances with the pets later." Zuko muttered, not taking his eyes off the sky bison in front of him. "That thing flies, right?"

" 'That thing' is called Appa." Aang corrected coldly. "And yes, _he_ flies."

Sokka had already scrambled up onto Appa's back, and was helping Kuei and Toph up. Iroh was next, followed by a very dubious Zuko. Soon, there was only Katara and Aang left on the ground.

"Why is he here?" Aang asked quietly, not looking at Katara. Katara could hear the hurt in his voice and she frowned sadly.

"He's here because I want him here. He saved our lives, and we can't just leave him." She replied finally, before walking up to Appa and taking her brother's hand in helping her up.

Aang stayed on the ground for a moment longer, before levitating up onto Appa's head. Momo had rested himself comfortably onto Iroh's lap, and the rest of the group were sitting awkwardly, making sure they could hold onto something.

"We need a big saddle for all of us to fit." Zuko said, taking in the group's obvious discomfort.

"Great idea." Sokka said sarcastically. "Let's buy it with the money that we _don't_ have!"

"Just a suggestion." Zuko shot back coldly.

"Yip yip!" Aang shouted suddenly, and Appa quickly ascended into the night's sky. All the passengers jerked backwards upon Appa's lift off, but managed to compose themselves quickly.

_We really do need a bigger saddle, _Katara thought, falling briefly back into Zuko. As she straightened up, she smiled back at him, then looked down at the city. The occasional light was on, and Katara wondered how much the people of Ba Sing Se knew already.

_It's been over a week since Azula took over…and I bet they're all still clueless._

For the second time Katara watched as the capital of the Earth Kingdom faded into the distance, but this time she was comforted by the fact that they were not fleeing for their lives. They were merely retreating, and the next time they faced Azula they would all be more powerful, and hopefully Aang will have truly mastered everything he needed to.

"Is anyone else getting a really bad case of déjà vu?" Toph joked, trying to lighten the mood.

"Thankfully, no." Aang called back from Appa's head.

Katara smiled, glad that her family was once again back together.

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_**A/N:**_

_**Ack, I'm a day late in my updating, sorry. I have some personal stuff to deal with, and that's why I won't be doing a sequel to this story unless I find it absolutely necessary. As this is the penultimate chapter, are there any questions you'd like to ask about the story that I can answer in the next chapter? If there are, please don't hesitate to tell me (:**_

_**I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and thank you to all my reviewers! The reviews I didn't get a chance to reply to I'll do as soon as I've updated, promise :D**_

_**Until next time,**_

_**- Momo**_


	35. Trust

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made…wow, I'm not going to miss saying that.

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A couple of hours passed by quickly on Appa, with meaningless chatter and playful insults being swapped back and forth, mainly between Katara and her brother. The light banter hadn't yet awakened the sleeping Earth King; apparently the night's events had been too much for him. Everyone was skirting around the question they all wanted the answer to, but it seemed as though each person was afraid of shattering the illusion that everything would be okay. Every person, it seemed, except Toph.

"So what's happening now?" She asked suddenly. Faces turned towards her, but no one answered, so she carried on. "I mean, Twinkletoes needs to learn Firebending, and we can't really do that when we're who knows how many feet up in the air, now can we?"

"Not unless you want to walk to the Fire Nation." Aang muttered darkly from Appa's head, and the bison groaned in agreement. The groan reverberated through the Appa's, making the people sat on his back wriggle uncomfortably.

"Short term plan: Iroh will teach Aang Firebending. Long term plan: Aang will kill the Fire Lord." Sokka explained, monotone, flicking a tuft of Appa's fur in obvious boredom. Several eyes darted to Zuko to see how he would react to the last part of this answer, Katara's included. However Zuko didn't even blink at Sokka's words, and Katara doubted that he even heard them. He seemed to be too preoccupied with glancing tentatively every so often over Appa's side and gnawing at his lip. Katara watched this with some amusement as it dawned on her:  
"You're afraid of flying." She whispered in mock-accusation to Zuko, who's head snapped around to her. The others seemed to be in a debate about something, so Katara felt at ease talking to Zuko.

"No I'm not." He replied hastily at her words. At Katara's disbelieving expression, he elaborated. "It isn't flying I'm afraid of. It's the falling hundreds of feet and breaking every bone in my body that scares me."

Katara's expression melted into smiles and laughter. It wasn't like Zuko to be witty, but in the rare moments he was Katara couldn't help but giggle, regardless of the circumstances.

"In that case, I'll keep you safe." She murmured to him, stroking his hand very briefly.

It was only a quick gesture of affection, but it was a gesture of affection nonetheless. Looking wordlessly at Katara, Zuko wondered how long it would be until they didn't have to hide their relationship anymore. As minutes passed with just banter passing between the group, he sat in silence thinking about all the ways he could tell Sokka and Aang that he was in love with Katara without ending up dead.

After half an hour of thinking and coming up with exactly nothing, he gave up with a frustrated sigh. His uncle's eyes darted towards him questioningly, but Zuko shook his head and glanced at Sokka. Iroh nodded and went back to talking to Toph, a small smile curling on his lips.

_He's loving this, _Zuko thought, annoyed. _He'll make this as difficult as he can._ He dreaded all the hints that Uncle Iroh would drop around Sokka and Aang regarding his nephew and Katara, all the sly smiles in their direction and the whispered conversations with Toph. _Can't I just get it over with? _He thought in desperation. But watching Katara laugh at something Sokka said made Zuko realize that he couldn't just blurt out his feelings. He had to at least consult Katara before telling everyone. She deserved that much.

"Where are we stopping again?" Toph asked suddenly, breaking Zuko out of his thoughts.

"It would be wise to go a little further, as far away from Ba Sing Se as we possibly can in one flight." Iroh mused, patting Momo's head absently. The lemur closed his eyes in contentment and stretched out on Iroh's lap. Scratching Momo's stomach, Iroh continued to think, looking behind his shoulder and into the sky for inspiration.

"We left Ba Sing Se approximately three hours ago, yes?" He asked, turning back to the group at large. People nodded and several assenting murmurs were heard. "There was a small town…nothing more than a village really, back when my troops and I set off to conquer Ba Sing Se. I remember the village was only a few hours from the capital, so we were able to rest and eat before the invasion." Iroh paused and chuckled. "Of course, if I had known it would be six hundred days before I had a proper bed to sleep in, I may have taken more advantage of the mattresses there."

Katara smiled, and wondered how Iroh could talk about the invasion that would prove to be his military disgrace so easily. Iroh stared wistfully off into the distance.

"So, this village?" Sokka prompted, earning a glare from Katara for his abruptness. "What?" He asked his sister, his voice now much whinier. "I'm hungry!"

"You're always hungry. It's proving to be quite annoying." Zuko growled, narrowing his eyes at the eldest Water Tribe sibling.

"I've had no valid reason - at least, a reason that I accept - why you're actually here, so I'd really appreciate it if you would shut the hell up!" Sokka snarled, his face contorting in anger and his hand instinctively going to his weapon.

"Zuko - shut up. Sokka - don't you think that was a slight overreaction?" Katara asked, desperately trying to maintain peace among the group.

Before Sokka or Zuko had a chance to reply, Iroh cut in hastily:

"Yes, the village of Siyu. Not a remarkable place by any means, but I believe it was loosely named after the Avatar."

Sokka and Zuko stopped glaring at each other to turn to Iroh, surprised. Aang quickly turned around and raised his eyebrows, and even Kuei opened his bleary eyes at last. Iroh had managed to gain the whole group's attention in two casually spoken sentences.

"Siyu…" Kuei muttered, his voice dry from lack of use. "Roughly translated as 'thinking of the world', am I right?" He directed his question at Iroh, which was a good thing because the rest of the group had no idea.

Iroh nodded and smiled at Aang, who allowed a small smile to appear also.

"Thinking of the world…" Aang repeated thoughtfully. His face suddenly became stony once more and his voice had a flat tone to it. "Let's hope the name's translation is more accurate than Ba Sing Se's."

An awkward silence rang out across the group at the Avatar's words, only punctuated by a now active Momo's low growls every time the occasional reptile bird flew past. The lemur swiped at the air, each time missing his target but never giving up. Katara's eyes followed Momo's tiny claws as he scratched at the air. The movement was almost hypnotic, and it made Katara sleepy. Well, it was either Momo's claws or that in the past few hours she had survived about three battles, been reunited with her family once more and escaped her captors. It took a lot out of a girl, especially one who hadn't slept properly for awhile. It was then when it struck Katara how tired she actually was. She was fighting a losing battle trying to keep her heavy eyelids open and her senses alert. The only thing she could feel at the moment was the overpowering urge to just _sleep. _Unfortunately, on the bison there was nowhere to lie down without getting in someone's way, so Katara settled for bringing her knees up to her chest and resting her head on them. It wasn't entirely comfortable, but it allowed her to close her tired eyes for a few brief minutes. The cold night desert wind whipped at her head, making her hair blow about annoyingly, finally settling part way across the part of her face that was exposed. Instead of lifting her arms and move the stray hair, Katara mumbled angrily at it, as though this would intimidate the hair to move. Unsurprisingly, it didn't work; the hair remained where it was, itching the side of her head.

Sighing quietly, Katara resolved to ignore it and just go to sleep. Her eyes still shut, a few moments later she felt a gentle warm hand brushing the hair away, lingering on the side of her face. Cracking one eye open drowsily, she saw Zuko smiling down at her.

"You were threatening your hair with death if it didn't move from your eyes." He whispered in explanation. If she hadn't been so tired, Katara would have felt embarrassed that apparently she hadn't been mumbling after all, but speaking coherently.

"Thank you." She murmured, moving her head a fraction upwards. Zuko shuffled closer to her, and indicated his shoulder to lean upon. Gratefully, Katara let herself fall sideways into Zuko's soft shoulder and closed her eyes once more.

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"Why is my sister on your shoulder?" Sokka hissed angrily to Zuko. Sokka had been being filled in by Iroh about whereabouts Siyu was located, when he had happened to glance over to check on his little sister. Said little sister was sleeping against the banished Fire Nation Prince who had made more than one attempt on all of their lives previously. Sokka didn't know what had gone on when Katara and Toph were captured - both Toph and Iroh were being mysteriously quiet on the matter - and quite frankly he didn't want to know. Well, he did and he didn't. Sokka had seen the looks that Zuko gave Katara, and he recognized them as the same that he himself used to give to Yue. This worried him immensely. Did Zuko have a crush on Sokka's little sister? Inconceivable. Sokka wouldn't allow it, and therefore it wouldn't happen. With that in mind, Sokka had slipped into the pleasant escape called denial. At least, he had, until he saw Katara leaning quite happily against Zuko.

"Because they ran out of parrots." Zuko muttered back sarcastically in response.

"That isn't funny, considering a group of pirates almost _killed _us that one time. Or did you forget? Funny, because I seem to remember it being your fault!" Sokka still kept his voice low, so as not to wake his sleeping sister, however it was an effort not to raise his voice.

"No offence, but that was Katara's fault." Zuko said truthfully. As much as he loved Katara, he wasn't about to be blamed any more than he needed to. "If she hadn't stolen that scroll in the first place then we wouldn't have found you."

"…shut up!" Sokka said after a moment, using the only comeback he could think of. "We're getting off-topic!"

"Katara's asleep, and I'm not about to wake her up just because you don't like me." Zuko said softly.

"I think 'don't like' is kind of an understatement, Princey." Toph drawled. Zuko looked up and realized that the whole gang was listening to his and Sokka's argument.

"Princey?" Zuko repeated, eyebrow raised. "That's worse than Scarface."

"Well what do you want me to call you?" Toph asked, rolling her blind eyes.

"How about Zuko? It _is_ my name."

"Lacks originality." Toph said, dismissing this idea. Zuko had a sneaking suspicion that she was steer the conversation away from Katara and himself, and for that he was grateful.

"Fine." Zuko muttered. "Go with Princey, I don't care."

Katara stirred slightly against his shoulder, but Zuko patted her head softly and comfortingly so she went back to sleep.

"What the hell was that?" Sokka asked in outrage, gesturing wildly in Zuko and Katara's direction. Out of the corner of his eye, Zuko saw Uncle Iroh shaking his head and moving himself over to Appa's head to have a quiet discussion with Aang.

"I want her to go back to sleep." Zuko explained, doing his best to keep a level temper. It was as though Sokka thought he would harm Katara suddenly, which was absurd. "She's had a rough week."

"So have I." Toph complained. "For that matter, so has Iroh."

"But neither of you two have had to put up with me all week." Zuko pointed out. There was a slight pause.

"True. Let her sleep." Toph agreed, lying herself down in Iroh's vacated spot. The Earth King had since gone back to sleep, and there was still a couple of hours of quiet darkness left for them all to get some sleep. The few supplies the group had left had been pushed into the corner of Appa's back so everyone had more room to lie down.

"I'm going to sleep." Zuko told Sokka. "If you have a problem with this, let me know now, so I can tell you how much I don't care."

Toph snorted in amusement from her curled up position near Sokka's feet, and Zuko smirked, before resting his head against Katara's and closing his eyes.

"I didn't say that it was okay to use my sister as a pillow." He heard Sokka mutter, but didn't bother to reply. He too was very tired, and planned to grab every opportunity to sleep right now. Plus he had an excuse to be close to Katara, and he wasn't about to pass up on that. Besides, they would all be woken when they reached Siyu…if it was even still there. Zuko had his doubts that it could have survived for so long, being a small village in the middle of nowhere. However, he didn't have time to dwell on these doubts as sleep overtook him.

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"Whereabouts is Siyu from here, Sir?" Aang asked quietly. Noticing that all had gone unusually silent, he had glanced back a few minutes ago, only to see everyone asleep, with Katara and Zuko too close for Aang's comfort. This had stirred up a feeling of immense jealously in the young monk. He still had feelings Katara, despite trying his hardest to let her go in order to master the Avatar State.

Iroh looked up, surprised and then chuckled. "Please, child, call me Iroh."

"As long as you call me Aang."

"Done." Iroh said, a smile crinkling his wizened eyes. The smile dropped as he continued to talk. "And I'm not entirely sure where Siyu is from here."

Aang flicked up his eyes to Iroh in a cross between annoyance and disbelief. They could be flying in the completely wrong direction for all any of them knew, and might not see green earth for days. The desert scenery was beginning to get boring, even if the night's sky made the sand look deceptively harmless and beautiful. The moon had gone back to shining brightly once more, casting its light over them all.

"We'll have to stop soon." Aang mused, looking back to the empty sky in front of him. "Appa will get too tired and last time that happened…well, do the words "dropped like a stone" mean anything to you?"

Iroh smiled at Aang's words, as he also looking to his front. "May I suggest that we continue heading in this direction until we need to stop?"

"Sure." Aang nodded. "We're sure to find something eventually."

Iroh didn't miss the lingering sarcasm in the boy's voice, but choice to ignore it. After all, the young Avatar had been through more than most people go through in a lifetime, he had a right to be a little snippy. Besides, sarcasm aside, they _were _sure to find something soon. It may not be Siyu, but it'll be something.

_Just keep telling yourself that, _Iroh reminded himself. _Giving up hope would make me a hypocrite. Can't be having that._

"I'm not sure it's such a good idea we travel directly to Siyu." Aang murmured, so low that Iroh barely heard him. "If I need to learn Firebending, then I don't want to put anyone else in danger…I don't want to hurt anyone else."

The last part was whispered, but Iroh heard it perfectly. The way the young Avatar's voice was haunted with guilt and regret made Iroh wonder what had happened to upset the boy so much. Rather than compel Aang to tell him, Iroh simply looked at him, his soft, kind eyes devoid of any pressure.

"I tried Firebending once before." Aang explained, dropping his head and talking to his knees. "I thought that because I was the Avatar I didn't have to bother with the basics; breathing, stances and such."

Iroh nodded sympathetically, as though he didn't know what the Firebending basics were.

"I created fire, and was so excited that I allowed it to…get out of my command. And unfortunately for her, Katara was the nearest person to me when I lost control." Aang sighed drooped his head further. "Her hands were badly burnt, and if she didn't have healing powers…"

"But she does." Iroh reminded him gently. "And she healed herself. Accidents happen, Aang, particularly in Firebending. Fire will not allow itself to be controlled easily. In fact, it does not allow itself to be controlled at all…merely guided."

"I don't want to Firebend again." Aang whispered, his gaze on his hands.

At that moment Iroh felt a swell of almost overwhelming pity for the young boy. Iroh had seen the Avatar at terrifying power before, and it was easy to forget that he was just a little boy, scared of his destiny and what was expected of him.

"There is a risk with each thing that we do." Iroh said carefully, casting around for examples. "You take a risk in flying upon your bison every day."

"But Appa's safe." Aang murmured, stroking part of Appa's head softly. "I should know; we've been together for years."

"Appa is only safe because you're used to him." Iroh corrected gently. "Did you see my nephew's face when he realized we would have to fly on your bison?" He chuckled. "As soon as he is used to flying, he will forget the risks. It is much the same with Firebending. If you don't focus on the risks, you don't worry about them."

"Firebending is hard to control." Aang shook his head. "It's dangerous, and I know that I need to learn it, but it doesn't mean that I want to."

"I won't let any harm come to you or your friends when you are learning Firebending, Aang. You have nothing to worry about." Iroh told him softly, smiling. Aang nodded stiffly and raised his head. His eyes were glazed over and his mouth a grim line of determination.

"How long will it take?" He asked distantly.

"To master Firebending?" Iroh paused. "That depends entirely on how much effort and practice you put into it."

"Great." Aang said, completely unenthusiastic. Siyu was still nowhere in sight, and the only thing that could be seen in the slowly lightening sky was the vast expanse of desert, only adding to Aang's already less than ecstatic mood.

"Don't forget to keep up your other bending practices too, they're equally as important." Iroh reminded the boy, sounding like a nagging parent.

"Sure Katara won't be too distracted to teach me?" Aang spat bitterly, throwing an angry glare behind him at Zuko and Katara's resting forms. Iroh bit his lip, unsure of what to say. It seemed that the Avatar might already have an idea of what was going on between Zuko and Katara; however Iroh didn't want to say anything in case he didn't.

"It has been a difficult week for Miss Katara." Iroh said carefully. "But I don't believe she would let anything get in the way of your training, Aang. She knows how important it is for you to learn and master all the elements."

Aang glowered at nothing in particular, and his grip tightened on a patch of Appa's fur. Iroh sighed quietly but remained otherwise silent. It wouldn't be easy for Zuko and Katara to hide their growing relationship for much longer, but it'd be even harder to tell the ones they loved. Well, it would be hard for Katara to tell the ones she loved. Iroh had a feeling that the Avatar and Sokka would react _very _badly to the news.

"Iroh…" Aang started hesitantly. "About Zuko and Katara-"

Iroh held his breath, awaiting the awkward question, but it was interrupted. Instead, Toph's loud voice rang through the sky.

"Hey! Is that Siyu?" She shouted, the question in her voice over exaggerated. Aang snapped his head back to Toph, and saw where she was pointing. He looked wildly, and even Iroh glanced out of curiosity, before remembering that Toph couldn't have possibly seen anything.

"Toph. You really have to stop doing that." Aang said listlessly, the faint hope that had appeared in his eyes fading rapidly. He turned back to the front.

"Just keeping you all on your toes." Toph said, smiling wickedly before lying back down.

"I'll keep you on your toes." Zuko mumbled threateningly, grouchy from being awakened in such a manner. He raised his head from Katara's and lit a faint flame in the palm of his hand.

"Zuko." Iroh called out warningly, turning his body around to look at his nephew. "I don't think you're close enough to these people yet to be issuing death threats."

"Since when has that stopped him before?" Sokka asked sleepily. His eyes were bleary and he stifled a yawn before sitting up completely. Katara's eyes flickered open, and she rubbed her stiff neck before sitting up straight.

"You have a comfortable shoulder." She complimented Zuko, before turning to her friends. "Where are we? And how long have I been asleep?"

"I'd say we're still quite awhile from Siyu...maybe a few hours." Iroh said, his voice cheerful compared to the others. "And none of you have been sleeping for that long."

Sokka groaned loudly and flopped back down, seemingly appalled at his lack of sleep. This unnecessary action caused Zuko to glare, seemingly appalled at Sokka himself.

"We'll need to stop soon." Katara called to Aang, who hadn't talked to any of them after they had woken up. "Appa's probably tired, and we'll need to rest anyway before you start your training."

"I know what's best for Appa." Aang muttered menacingly, but quietly told the bison to descend anyway. The moon was beginning to fade and dawn's first rays were creeping onto the skyline surreptitiously.

"We're still in the desert." Zuko noted, glancing over Appa's side quickly.

"Well done." Sokka commented dryly.

Both Zuko and Katara glared at Sokka, who pretended not to notice. The night's cool temperature was slowly increasing, and they all knew that it would a hot day for them all for as long as they stayed in the desert. Sokka hoped silently that Katara would have some water left in her water pouch for them to drink, otherwise they'd die of thirst.

_I suppose cactus juice is still an option…_he thought slyly.

"Snoozles?" Toph asked, her sweet voice immediately making Sokka suspicious. "You even think about going near a cactus, and I'll make sure you're drinking the juice through a tube."

_It's like she read my mind! _Sokka thought, horrified. Apparently his expression matched his thoughts, because Katara laughed, and soon the rest of the group joined in with her. Even Aang seemed to be trying to hide a smile.

Appa was going down quicker than normal, probably caused by his tiredness and eagerness to get to the ground to rest. Unused to these landings, Zuko's eyes widened. Noticing this, Katara discreetly placed her hand over Zuko's, reassuringly. Appa landed soon after with a soft _thud_ and immediately splayed his legs out, so that his stomach touched the cool sand. Appa's unexpected movement caused the gang to jolt around uncomfortably, so that some of them bumped into others.

"Smooth landing." Zuko muttered, rubbing the spot on his head that had banged into the Earth King's. Kuei had recovered from the landing, and scanned the shadowy sand suspiciously.

"This is only temporary?" He asked, still glaring at the sand.

"Yes." Iroh replied. "We will set off for Siyu as soon as we can, and if we cannot find Siyu then we'll simply have to keep flying until we find somewhere else."

"Sounds like a plan." Toph grinned, before standing up and leaping off Appa. She landed on her feet, and her toes sank into the sand immediately, but Toph just seemed glad to be back on land. Shrugging, Kuei stood up after her and made his way to Appa's legs. Clutching the nearest leg carefully, the Earth King held onto the furry leg for dear life and slowly climbed down, even though they were only a few feet off the ground and he could have jumped. Iroh was next, climbing down with a lot more grace than his predecessor.

"Throw down the supplies to me." He called up to Sokka, who proceeded to gather up the few supplies they had left and to throw them down as gently as he could, as though they were priceless jewels. Iroh quickly and carefully caught the items, and set them down on the sand tenderly. Amongst the supplies there was a large blanket that Sokka "couldn't resist buying" in a market in Ba Sing Se. The blanket couldn't have been that expensive because it was used to wrap up the important things, like any food they had, but Iroh was satisfied that it would be big enough to cover an area where the group could lie down. True, it might be a little squashed, but it was better than nothing.

Sokka stood up on Appa next. He gave Zuko a long, suspicious look before jumping onto the sand below. He landed uncomfortably, but soon shook himself off and helped Iroh to set up. Finally, Aang rose. There was an uncomfortable silence as he looked from Zuko to Katara, an odd expression on his face. Katara gave him a weak smile which he returned with equal strength, before sliding off Appa. Aang landed much more gracefully than Sokka, thanks to Airbending.

As soon as she was sure they were alone and out of earshot, Katara looked at Zuko.

"This is going to be awkward." She breathed quietly, looking to her family below her. Despite their tiredness, each one was laughing and joking and helping, disregarding the couple left on the bison.

"Only if you let it be." Zuko reminded her softly. "We don't have to tell them anything yet."

"I suppose you're right." Katara agreed, tearing her eyes away from the group and smiling at Zuko.

"Of course I am." Zuko smirked, standing up. "I'm always right." At Katara's disbelieving laugh, he smiled. "Well, most of the time." He amended.

"You're going to have to get used to being wrong if you want to be with me." Katara teased, standing up herself. Zuko laughed.

"I think I can deal with being wrong once in a while."

They walked over to Appa's side, still unnoticed by the group below them. Zuko looked cautiously over the side, before turning to Katara.

"Looks like we're going to have to jump." He said, mock-seriously. He smiled again, before extending his hand to Katara.

"Trust me?" Zuko asked, indicating both his hand and the jump. Katara smiled back and took his hand.

"Always."

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_**A/N:**_

_**So after seven months, 35 chapters and a lot of deliberation and re-writes, "The Journey" is at it's end. At least, this journey is. But when writing this chapter, I realized that I couldn't write about Zuko and Katara's blossoming relationship and the Gaang's reaction to it (not to mention Aang's Firebending lessons) without taking away from the main story. So that's why I'm doing a sequel. Just a short one, not like the wannabe novel that this fanfic turned out to be :P A few of my reviewers have asked me to do a sequel, but if any of you don't think it's a good idea then:**_

_**1) Tell me.**_

_**2) Don't read it, lol.**_

_**The sequel's working title is "Never Too Late" but this may change. The summer holidays are coming up, so I'll probably post the first chapter then if any of you are interested in reading it (:**_

_**Words can't express my gratitude to all who have reviewed my first fanfic. I truly believe that your reviews have made me a better writer and for that I'm immensely grateful. If you could take the time to review this last chapter (even if you've never reviewed before) just to tell me what you thought of the story, or what I can improve on, then that'd make me happy as well, lol.**_

_**Exactly seven months ago today I posted the first chapter, and I want to thank those readers who have stuck with me for all that time. Thanks to the readers who came in somewhere in the middle, and thanks to the readers who came in at the very end. Thanks to everyone who has favourited/tracked this story...y'know what, just thanks to everyone lol. I sincerely hope you've enjoyed reading "The Journey" as much as I've enjoyed writing it.**_

_**Avatar Season Three is rumoured to air September 21**__**st**__**…don't miss it :D**_

_**Hope you all have a great summer!**_

_**- Momo **_


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